IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  {MT-3) 


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I.I 


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2.2 

1.8 


1.25 


1.4    III  1.6 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corpordtion 


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33  WIST  MAIN  STRUT 

WIBSTIR.N.Y    MSaO 

(716)  a73-4503 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


-lOS^ 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


0 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  da  couieur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


D 


Couverture  endommagi* 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurie  et/ou  peliicul^e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


□    Coloured  maps/ 
Cartes  giographiques  en  coulour 

□    Coloured  ink  {i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couieur  (i.e.  autre  que  blaue  ou  noirel 

I      I    Coloured  piates  and/or  illustrations/ 


0 

D 


n 


D 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  sn  couieur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
^•M  avec  d'autres  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  iarria  pei*t  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  <1«  la  marge  intlir*euro 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certamas  pages  blanches  ajcruties 
lors  dune  restauration  apparaissont  dans  le  texte, 
male,  lorsqu**  cela  itait  possible,  ces  pages  n  ont 
pas  Ati  filmAes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplimentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
ciu'il  lui  a  eti  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exem(,;aire  qui  9ont  peut-dtre  uniquas  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  rsproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m^thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu^s  d-dessous. 


r~~|    Coloured  pages/ 


Pagas  de  coulsur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pellicul^es 


r~~]    Pages  damaged/ 

pn    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 


nVj    Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
iJlJ    Pages  dicolor^es,  tacheties  ou  piqu^es 

□    Pages  detached/ 
Pagas  ditachees 


1/ 


Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


r~]    Quality  of  print  varies/ 


Quality  InAgale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  matiriel  suppl^mentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc..  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc..  ont  itti  film^es  d  nouveau  de  fa^on  ^ 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  rec  action  ratio  checked  beiow/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  r«duction  indiqu*  ci-dassous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


I    I  ^ 


12X 


lex 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


Tfie  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


L'exempiaire  filmd  fut  reproduit  grSce  d  la 
g6n6ro8it6  de: 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  it6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exempiaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couveriure  en 
papier  est  imprimee  sont  film6s  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commeng ant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qu:  comporte  une  tello 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  -°»>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"!, or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END  "), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaltra  sur  la 
dernldre  image  de  chaque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^>  signifie  'A  SUIVRE",  le 
symboie  V  signifie  'FIN  ". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reductian  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  6tre 
filmds  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduJt  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  film6  A  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  dreite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  r.ombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

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Cqptt 


a^m^tixxwTss wm  w  Urn 


>^*> 


if  A:B       ffir^Aii^i 


VAL  HAS  i  IN6S ,' 


4Mtt  fCM 


VANKEE  PRJVATfiER, 


«  Si«li»p{H«»  i »»ni|j. 


"*''^ '**MlffNXMIM 


i!Oiipi.]^jB  !i»  mmimmiau 


GABRITT  &  CO.,  P0BL 


Ciipt^  mmihdMtdtMmmmtM.^ 


aMLm.  Wtt^'jL^-. 


'^smmm^mt 


uS^^^^'i^f 


■.".•^mvj- 


£:^-A^O(p FOB  Emm  B0USEKEEPE8!  f  JJM  »BT^   25  c 


cowTJUEKjaf©  sEVBHAi.  munimm  txcm^umr  xBcmrm. 


NEW-TO     K: 
GAREETf  &  00.,  FUBUSliEES,  ^0  AH^  STREET. 


J 


THE 


A   D 


G  A  II  R  E  ■ 


NORVEL  HASTINGS: 


OB, 


if 


THE  FEIGATE  IN  THE*  Off ING. 


^  Xmlltnl  €fik 

^P    THK    WAR    OF    1812. 


t 


BY 


A    DISTINGUISHED   NOVELIST. 


COMPLETE  IN  ONE  VOLUME. 


NEW -YORK 
«AliRETT*C0.,    ,8    At.^    STREET 


■n 


Entered,  according  to  the  Act  of  CongreiB,  i«  the  yn  7 1850,  by 
A.   HART, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  in  and  for  tin 
Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


NORVEL  HASTINGS; 


OR, 


THE  FRIGATE  m  THE  OFFING. 


CHAPTER  L 

The  shades  of  T»i«i>*  ~ 

Uaok,  and  reflected  the  8,a„     L  f  ""r"'""  g-^"  «% 
belt  of  velvet.    Tho  willor,  „"  h  fe  f  T*  ^""^'-^  ■»■  «^ 
l»od  over  it  and  met  the  r  Jlh" /?«""  ""  ^^^iug  ar«a, 
f.ff-leaved  pine  and    gnarlZh  f    T  "'"'■"'y'  '^''"o  «.« 
Innehes  half-way  aero^  in  ih'    ""^  .'*"^''°"''^''    «">- 
the  gloom.  ™"«''  ^on-PMionship,  inereaaing 

«",  when  it  received  a  „arrh>r    "^  "^  "'"■'''*  "  "»»  "» 
»  %,and  would  be  termed  aTiverVirfrf  ^"^  '"«" 
0.^  he  emhonehnre  or  outlet  Zl^'::""'  ""  '■"'^'  "^ 
^oe  iittio  river,— which  Im^i  « 

»'e^'hogreensava„nah,-rLn'v  "  J  r  '"'  ""^'^  «'°"'y 
"  »"'«  and  a  half  bevond  IT    7T^^  ^'"  *'»°"  <""(*  "early 

'»*°'ures  in  t„e  coa^t  ofZT^T-'""'  '^  *''"  ■""»"»«» 
,  ;""  »«  on  the  ohart.,  for  a  htdred  """  -"  "''  «"^'''""'-' 
!  '»N  -og^Iarit,  oAi,  ;i         7-f^  «««»*,  the  SCO,. 

(9) 


V 


S 


10 


NORVEl   HASTINGS;    OP, 


breadth  was  not  more  than  four,  and  its  length  to  the  open 


ocean,  not  more  than  five  miles. 


: 


The  entrance  to  it  from  the  sea  was  not  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
wide,  and  was  formed  by  two  cliffs,  of  nearly  equal  height,  on 
one  of  which, — that  whi^h  made  the  western  column  of  the 
opening, — stood  the  ruins  of  an  old  i^eacon,  which  was  a  lofty 
landmark  for  many  a  mariner  seeking  the  dangerous  coast. 
From  these  two  cliffs  the  shores  of  the  bay  swept  inward  in  a 
pear-shape  form,  partly  bounded  by  rocks  with  precipitous 
sides,  partly  belted  with  glittering  sand,  as  spotlass  as  snow 
in  its  whiteness.  At  the  top  of  the  bay,  in  a  straight  line, 
four  miles  from  the  surge-washed  cliffs,  at  its  entrance,  opened 
the  r.arrow  inlet  which  led  to  the  mouth  of  the  little  iiver, 
whose  windings  we  have  compared  to  a  snake. 

If  the  reader  has  clearly  impressed  upon  his  imagination 
■  ^hese  features  of  the  scene  in  which  we  shall  open  and  carry 
on  the  first  parts  of  our  tale,  we  will  now  take  him  up  the 
inlet,  and  into  the  creek,  the  dark  curves  of  which  we  shall 
follow,  under  the  shadows  of  rocks  rnd  of  trees,  amid  lawns 
and  meadow-land  as  green  as  emerald,  until  we  reach,  ur>ex-»j 
pectedly,  after  a  short  turn  in  the  river,  a  small  pier,  built 
solidly  of  hewn  timber  and  stones,  that  projects  thirty  feet 
from  the  shore,  and  extends  full  one  hundred  along  the  land.  I 
Opposite  this  mole  the  creek  expands  a  few  yards  into  a  natu- 
ral basin — a  feature  of  the  place  which  doubtless  suggested 
the  •  construction  of  a  landing  at  that  point.     Facing  the 
wharf,  on  the  same  side  of  the  creek  with  it,  which  is  the 
west  side,  stood,  at  the  time  of  our  story,  which  is  laid  in  the 
first  year  of  our  last  war  with  England  (1812),  a  long  row  of 
weather-worn,    unpaintcd   warehouses,    curiously   built,  the 
under  story  of  stone,  the  upper  of  wood,  while  immense  roofs 
projected  ten  feet  on  all  sides,  affording  large  sueittr  beneath 
to  protect  merchandise  outside  from  min  or  sun.    In  the  mid- 
dle of  this  long  hipped-roof  edifice  of  trade  rose  a  square 
tower,  enclosed  by  open  blinds;  and  upon  its  helmet-shaped 


dome  wai 

middle,  s 

blue  nava 

Wcllingtc 

The  famo 

spy-glass, 

other  dire 

towards  tl 

if  he  look 

west. 

The  ap] 

houses  ma 

and  kegs,  i 

pipes,  rolls 

up  under  i 

paulins,  be 

pier  was  th 

In  the  r 

which  a  ro 

of  a  ridge, 

captain's  he 

of  this  emi 

walk  from  ) 

high  degree 

and  around 

open  and  p 

the  rich  hai 

on  which  floi 

ing  peacefull 

the  scene.     ] 

mansion,  risi 

size  and  imp 

terrace,  and 

wide  lawn,  w 

^'■^y,  and  out 


V 

%,. 


THE  FRIGATE    IN   THE  OFFINa. 

the  open    I    dome  was  fixed  an  iron  rod,  upon  wLich 


11 


blue  naval  coat,  vellow  n-n^..un  ,        '^apiam  took,  m  a 

WeUington  boo'ts  trblitC^  n  Mw"  "I/"""''  ■"«• 
no  fa„.o„s  navigate  in  wo'od  a  d";  ;  tr^P^f  ?°  «"-• 
spj-glasa,  with  wliicli  he  was  n.v.„,V  "  '"'  "^^^  " 

other  di.e.io„  than  the;:.d.s;:f  soTw  If    •"'L  'l  ■"■' 

.n.e  looked  .0  the  setting  snn,  that  the  winVrtiTho 

..olt^Se^theMrt"'"'  "''"'  ""^  -'«  »<"'- 
andkeg„„arw;^^h  l^eZS^  ''""^"t'-  ^"'^^ 
Pipo,  rolls  of  merchandise,  fnV  Itstf  f^'''  '"'"*  ""* 
«P  under  the  projecting  eaves  Td  l!,        ^  '"^''  P"^ 

stttntitir^^^^^^^^^ 

:ll'h  "!""'r--^  -S^'y  feet  aCfther         ''  l' 

P tau  s  head,  and  nearly  overhnng  it.     On  ;,ai 
of   h>s  eminence,  which  was  not  more  than  fl 
-11  from  the  mole,  the  eye  was  strnck  with  the  e. 
hgh  degree  of  cultivation  of  a  wide  domdn  that .      .  , 
and  around  him,  and  stretched  even  to  he  ^k^d       r       " 
open  and  nark-likr*  in  f».«-   i.  "'  ''"^  sca-side.    Groves, 

«!^  rich  ha'^est  of  llZ^^'^'^^""'^'  "ff »«  -"^ 
on  which  flocks  and  fe,^:  aXUn  "  e^Ter'wer'^' 

"ansion,  visible  through  the  trees  fn  triCrTf  T  * 
»vme  iawn,  while  its  southern  frn«f  i«^i,.j  j__..  •^. 


l^iiy,  and 


out  upon  the  illimitabl 


c  sea. 


looked  down  upon  the 


'    i 


12 


NORVEL  HASTINGS;   OR, 


1 


The  whole  of  the  promontory  seemed  one  noble  edtuto, 
under  the  direction  of  one  master;  while  a  lowlj  roof  seeii 
here  and  there,  distant  from  the  "great  house,"  showed  the 
humbler  abode  of  the  hired  labourer  -r  tenant.  Of  the  latter, 
there  was  one  in  particular  which  made  a  marked  object  in 
the  view,  from  the  rmgularity  of  its  position  and  its  extremely 
neat  but  yet  rustic  aspect. 

It  occupied  the  side,  half-w?y  down,  of  the  rock  on  the  bay 
shore,  on  which  the  villa  stood,  and  seemed  to  belong  as  much 
to  the  domain  of  the  ocean  as  that  of  the  land.    It  was  built 
of  stone  und  moss,  and  overrun  with  creeping  plants,  so  that 
Its  chimney  seemed  tc  rise  rather  from  an  irregular  hillock 
of  leaves,  thf»n  from  a  roof—a  sort  of  hanging  nest  midway 
the  cliff.     Though  fu..  a  third  of  a  mile  distant  from  the 
mansion,  its  situation  along  the  curving  line  of  the  bay  placed 
It  .obliquely  in  sight,  westwardly,  from  the  south  fiont  of  the 
turreted  house.     Directly  beneath  this  hanging  cottage  was 
the  smooth  beach,  on  which  usually  lay  a  skiff",  or  anchored 
off  agamst  it  swung  a  fishing  xebec.    There  was  a  narrow  and 
perilous  path  from  the  hut  to  the  beach,  and  one  scarcely  less 
precipitous  leading  from  it  to  the  top  of  the  cliff,  connecting 
It  with  the  estate.     When  we  add  that  it  was  not  more  than 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  cottage,  goini^  south,  to  the 
extreme  end  of  the  promontory,  on  which  the  ruined  Beacon 
stood,  we  have  terminated  our  description  of  localities,  which, 
being  imperfectly  comprehended  by  readers,  render  the  details 
of  a  story  usually  confuted  and  unsatisfactory '  - 

We  now  return  to  the  secret  and  scarcely  illuminated  inlet, 
with  a  description  of  which  we  commenced  our  narrative.  It 
was  the  autumnal  night  of  the  first  day  of  September  on  which 
we  introduce  the  reader  to  this  dark  and  noiseless  current, 
flowing  between  its  leafy  banks.  Not  a  sound  was  heard, 
save  at  intervals  the  waili. ,,  cry  of  the  whip-poor-will,  or  the 
ceaseless,  shrilly  song  of  the  winged  locust.  Fur  in  the  blue 
skies  shone  a  glittering  host  of  stars,  but  only  here  and  there 


'niE  reiOATE  IN  THK  OFPINQ. 


did  one  find  its  way, 


13 


^  :^«.'^aye  already  said,  through  the  close 


trees,  to  be  reproduced  in  ir         T  '"'"'  *^''"«^  ' 
Q.,  1 7     1     f'^^^^^  in  image  in  the  waveless  rivPi- 
Suddenly  the  silenee  is  disturbed  by  the  faint  dTrnf 
or  padd  e,  and  likp  a  Hini .      u   i^  ^^^  °^ "°  oar 

from  the  blaekL!  „f  Ti:'""^7'  '"^'^  i'^^n^hUhU 

in  «.c  bow.  i^eo7lr^^^tCZt  T  u"^'  ''  ''"'^ 
'"»<Je  out,  nor  whct>„.r  !.  •     •  .  ^"  *"'*  """""o*  ''O 

a".i  certainty  with  wMch  it  Zi  '"iTn-'  i  1  "^fT 
Ihc  person  at  the  stem  is  nr.lT  m"  ^"  ^  "'""«''  """ 
■'"S^  ..f  the  strraT^r       •  ''"'^'""'""-  "■"'  *''«  d^viotts  wind- 

«.t^;-;i-::r:,r .—-»"- •■ 
Z"™  ^s™  qwet,"  grumbled  the  other,  in  a  snrW  ta„. 
™d  he  vo,ce  was  evidently  that  of  a  young' In        ^        ' 
W'ZiJ'J'J^  ««,  weapon  merely  ejaculated  a  eonte^ptno™ 

eoto  :"th  tat  S''  ^T'  1""^  "^'"'""S  '"-Ward 
wavwit^  tr        '  «»»*">ncd  its  secret  and  myeterion, 

~y  WUI.  the  same  certainty  which  had  marked  jt  from  the  Zl 


14 


NORVEL  HASTINQS;   OR, 


f 


I 


I 


CHAPTER  II. 

Leaving  the  boat  to  pursue  its  way  amid  the  dark  wind- 
ings of  the  river,  we  will  take  the  reader  back  to  the  afternoon 
of  the  day,  at  the  close  of  which  we  opened  our  story,  and  to 
the  villa  which  we  have  already  described. 

Upon  the  portico,  about  four  o'  clock  in  the  afternoon,  stood 
two  persons  looking  seaward  j  for  the  main  ocoan  was  in  view 
to  the  south-west,  and  to  its  shores  it  was  not  half  an  hour's 
walk  across  the  promontory,  while  the  inner  bay,  enclosed  by 
the  promontory  of  the  Beacon,  lay  directly  beneath  and  to  the 
left  of  the  mansion  like  a  map. 

One  of  the  persons  was  a  gentleman  with  gray  hair,  and  a 
florid,  handsome  face,  with  a  decidedly  English  cast  of  fea- 
ture«  while  his  frame  was  large  and  English  built,  not  unlike 
that  we  have  of  the  pictures  of  the  Dnke  of  Sussex,  portly 
and  noble-looking.  He  was  in  high  health,  and  yet  as  be 
paced  up  and  down  the  piazza,  there  was  visible  a  contraction 
of  the  brow  and  comprossure  of  the  lip,  that  betokened  thoughts 
perplexing,  or  a  mind  temporarily  ill  at  ease.  He  held  a 
letter  in  his  hand,  which  contained  a  printed  slip  out  from  some 
Gazette. 

^  The  second  personage  was  a  female  of  seventeen  or  perhaps 
*ull  eighteen  summers,  fresh,  blooming,  graceful  and  handsome 
enough  for  a  score  of  knights  in  the  crusading  times  to  do 
battle  for,  vizor  down  and  lance  in  jcst^     That  she  was  tba 


THE  PEIGATI  IN  THE  OFPINO.    ^  16 

daughter  of  the  fine-looking,  silver-haired  man,  who  marched 
up  and  down  the  portico,  was  very  evident  from  the  shape  of 
the  profile  and  the  form  of  the  eye.     She  was  standing  at  the 
western  angle  of  the  verandah,  looking  earnestly  seaward,  and 
watching  With  animated  interest  a  "white  squall,"  as  the  sail- 
or.  term  a  peculiar  kind  of  gale,  remarkable  for  its  violence 
and  brevity.     From  her  position  she  commanded  the  sea  and 
sky  in  one  complete  view.     Having  .een  the  cloud  create  itself 
out  of  nothing,  as  it  were,  in  mid  sky,  and  then  darken  and 
ower  over  the  sea,  like  a  huge  inverted   balloon,  she  felt 
thac  she  could  not  divert  her  eyes  from  the  strange  and  sublime 
.peetacle  until  she  should  see  the  issue-^the  meeting  of  the 
s  orm  and  of  the  seal     The  latter,  beneath  it,  grew  suddenly 
b  ack  as  night,  while  sunshine  and  blue  sky  were  everywhere 
else  around.     The  sudden  darkness  cast  by  the  shadow  of  the 
down-rushmg  cloud  of  wind  upon  the  waters,  revealed  all  at 
one.  to  her  eyes,  and  at  the  very  moment  we  introduce  her  to 
the  reader,  a  sail  white  as  snow ! 

At  tlie  sight  of  it  she  turned  pale,  and  her  lips  parted  as 
if  with  terror-that  sort  of  humane  terror  which  noble  spirits 
ieel  in  sympathy  with  fellow-mortals  in  peril 

"  Look  dear  father,  look  !  The  storm  will  burst  upon  that 
vessel,  and  all  on  board  will  perish  I" 

The  gentleman  paused  in  his  walk,  and  following  the  direc 
tion  of  her  eye,  glanced  seaward. 

"  You  are  right  I  She  will  get  the  whole  weight  of  tliat 
squall.     My  glass  here,  Pedro,"  he  called  aloud. 

The  person  addressed  with  this  foreign  name,  though  not 
tlien  on  the  portico,  in  a  moment  made  his  appearance  with  a 
spy-glass,  and  placing  it  in  the  hands  of  his  master,  he  bowed 
very  low,  and  stepped  back  with  the  profound  deference  of  a 
menial.  Small  in  stature,  slightly  framed,  with  a  dark  com- 
plexion,  jet  black  hair  curling  in  corkscrew  rinirlets  down  hU 
enoejcs,  and  a  pair  of  eyes  like  those  of  a  basilisk,  small  hands 


f, 


I      i 


IG 


i 


1 


I 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


and  small  feet,  and  exceedingly  white  teeth,  ho  was  a  true 
specimen  of  a  West  Indian  half-blood  Creole— the  most  faith- 
ful of  servants  and  most  implacable  in  their  hatred  to  those 
Who  injure  them— kissing  their  master's  feet  in  love  and  devo- 
tion, but  stabbing  him  to  the  heart  if  he  tread  but  upon  his 
little  finger.     Pedro  was  about  forty  years  of  age,  for  a  few 
silver  hairs  were  sprinkled  over  his  polished  hair;  his  dress 
was  a  scarlet  velvet  cap,  an  embroidered  jacket  adorned  with 
rows  of  buttons,  worn  not  with  his  arms  in  the  sleeves,  but 
hung  on  the  left  shoulder  like  a  Polish  jacket.     His  shirt  was 
frilled  and  embroidered,  and  he  was  without  a  vest;  but  worked 
suspenders  lavishly  displayed,  were  a  handsome  substitufe  for 
this  vestment.     His  pantaloons  were  snow-white  linen,  and 
his  stockings  were  red,  clocked  on  the  instep,  while  a  neat 
morocco  slipper,  garnished  with  huge  buckles,  finished  hia  pic- 
turesque  costume. 

"'it  is  a  man-of-war!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Canning  Fielding, 
with  some  emphasis,  after  he  had  fixed  his  glass  for  half  a 
minute  steadily  upon  her. 

"It  may  be  an  American  frigate,  and  if  so,  may  Heaven 
protect  her  from  the  storm  rushing  towards  her  I"  exclaimed 
the  maiden,  with  deep  feeling.  f 

"If  it  is  a  Yankee,  may  she  go  to  the  bottom  I"  was  the 
decided  response  of  Mr.  Fielding. 

"  Father !"  was  the  deprecatory  ejaculation  of  Mary  Fielding, 
as  she  fixed  her  clear  blue  eyes  upon  hira  with  surprise  and 
pain. 

"  What  has  an  American  man-of-war  to  do  on  this  coast  at 
this  time  ?  She  can  be  here  for  no  good  I"  ho  said,  with  ill- 
humour. 

"  To  protect  the  coast.  Was  not  an  English  sloop-of-war 
and  her  tender  iu  the  offing  throe  weeks  ago  ?  We  certainly 
have  need  of  protection.  If  the  English  vessel  had  como 
into  the  bay  and  landed,  what  would  hava  sftved  u«  fmm 
pillage?'* 


THE  FRIGATE    IN    THE   OFFINQ. 


17 


"The  girl  is  thoroughly  Yankee,  br.ed  in  the  bone  !"  mut- 
tared  the  father,  in  a  tone  which  savoured  both  of  anger  and 
contempt.  "  I  must  keep  my  own  councils,  or  she  is  patriotic 
enough  to  betray  even  her  own  father !" 

"  The  squall  is  nearly  upon  her  !"  cried  Mary  Fielding,  with 
excitemenl;  "but  she  is  rapidly  shortening  sail,  and  seems  to 
he  fully  aware  of  her  danger.  How  the  wind  whitens  the 
surface  of  the  sea,  making  a  mile-broad  path  across  it;  and 
the  ship  lies  directly  in  its  track.  What  a  whirlwind  of  foam !' 
Hark,  the  roar  of  the  lifted  and  lashed  waves  reaches  us  even 
here,  dear  father!  The  ship  has  got  it  now  in  all  its  fury! 
See  how  she  bends  over,  as  if  she  would  upset;  and— see  !  she 
has  disappeared  from  sight  for  ever!  Mercy  upon  the  poor 
souls  within  her  V 

She  covered  her  face  with  both  hands,  and  seemed  to  be 
putting  up  prayers .  Mr.  Fielding,  who  had  the  spy-glass  con- 
stantly at  his  eye,  with  more  eager  interest  than  mere  humanity 
and  sympathy  would  dictate,  vainly  endeavouring  to  make  out 
her  nation,  for  she  had  no  colour  set,  merely  remarked— 

"  No  fears  for  her  safety,  They  put  her  under  close-reefed 
topsails  before  it  struck  her.  She  must  be  a  bad  sea-boat,  or 
ignorantly  officered,  to  shipwreck  in  a  white  squall,  heavy  as 
this  one  is." 

'•  De  frigat'  no  poseeblo  to  be  see  more,  seflorita,  coz  de 
thoek  meest  hide  'im  away,"  observed  the  Creole,  in  a  lisp  and 
pleasant  tone,  but  with  a  strong  Cuban  accent,  and  he  took  off 
his  cap  and  made  her  a  respectful  congee. 

"  You  are  right,  Pedro.  She  may  bo  safe.  Foe  or  friend, 
I  have  put  u-  my  prayers  for  her  safety,"  answered  the  gene- 
rous girl. 

The  roar  of  the  storm,  which  was  not  three  miles  off,  was 
now  so  loud  and  terrific  that  all  eyes  were  directed  to  the 
spectacle.  It  was  a  whirlwind  in  mid  air,  H&  b/oie  upon  the 
ocean  and  its  diameter  scarcely  a  mile,  proceeding  from  a  low 

2* 


^\11 


18 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


■ 


black  cloud,  hanging  ftot  two  thousand  feet  above  the  occin, 
and  rolling  Along  it  like  a  chariot  on  wheels,  so  swift  was  its 
course.  The  sea  on  all  sides  of  it  was  smooth  and  shining, 
and  the  skies  serene,  save  in  that  black  spot.  In  less  than  ten 
minutes  the  whole  fierce  commotion  had  travelled  far  away  to 
leeward,  and  was  seen  ploughing  its  white  track  kagues  away 
on'the  south-eastern  horizon.  The  waves  left  in  its  path  sank 
from  mountains  with  tops  of  snow  to  lesser  and  lesser  billows, 
and  from  the  misty  shroud  that  hung  on  its  rear,  out  came, 
but  full  eight  miles  off,  the  lioble  vessel  safe,  and,  save  the 
loss  of  her  two  after  topgallant  masts,  which  there  was  not 
time  to  house,  sound  as  before.  Shaking  the  reefs  out  of  her 
topsails,  and  setting  her  spanker  and  jibs  with  her  foretopgal- 
lunt  sail  aloft,  she  laid  her  course  back  again  to  regain  the 
position  from  which  she  had  been  driven  by  the  squall. 

^'Safe,  and  well-earned,  too,'*  said  Mr.  Fielding.  "She 
must  bo  an  Englishman;  for  no  Yankee  seaman  could  have 
rode  out  thai  blast  without  more  harm  done." 

'*  You  scorn  to  fmcy,  dear  father,  that  the  Americans  are 
no  seamen.  I  thought'  you  were  too  much  of  one  to  think 
ill  of  them.  If  this  war,  now  but  a  few  weeks  old,  continue 
three  years,  England  will  find  that  we  are  as  skilful  on  the 
ocean  as  wc  were  cflScieut  in  our  armies  of  the  Revolution  on 
land." 

.  "  By  St.  George !  The  girl  speaks  as  if  she  had  been  born 
before  the  rebel  war,  and  had  fought  in  it  under  Washington. 
I  must  take  better  heed  of  my  speech;  for  if  she  is  so  deuced 
patriotic  as  all  this  comes  to,  I  may  have  a  traitress  in  the 
camp.  I  must  feign,  if  I  do  not  feel.  Well,  Moll,  the  Amc 
ricans  arc  brave  enough,  and  good  sailors,  I  dare  say.  All 
the  same  race,  jou  know  —  Anglo-Saxon  blood  all!  One 
o'  these  odd  days,  I  dare  say,  wc  shall  together  conquer  the 
world  I"  * 

This  was  said  in  a  cheery,  badinaging  sort  of  tone,  meant  to 
appear  gincsre ;  and,  as  Mary  Fielding  was  too  fond  of  her 


iM 


father, 

than  he 

his  insi 

ism,  sh( 

The£ 

aspect  : 

onward, 

hour,    'j 

from  th 

Weconn( 

"He 

"and  no 

and,  by  i 

topsail  y 

And  he  I 

"You 

so  near,  \ 

Nothing  < 

whatever 

such  I  ho] 

.  war. ship  c 

air.  Fie 

evidently  ] 

with  his  d 

pliantic,  fa 

glittering, 

"Me  set 

'"vmoso— - 

bueno  grar 

see  too  mos 

"Ishoul 

"ity,"  said 

Pedro  HO  |*j, 

of  Havana  t 


THE   FRIGATE   IN  THK   OPFIXO.  '  jq 

The  surface  of  the  ocean  began  to  resume  it-  f„ 
»spcet:  a  gentle  wind  Wpplodlts  bo/o:  TnV    ot":::  Z 

from  *he':  •  iTt  \t"t'i:a  w'  t-  f  ^^  '"^'"■' 

Wc^onnot  ba,  by  the  IndiarfishtTol     '^'      "''  ""  ""•=' 
"He  has  come  to,  to  repair  damaffes  "  siiVl  M,  v  .  i- 

".nnd  now  her  broadside  can  be  se^  Moll  Sh!  .  ^"^' 
-a,  by  bcr  high  poop  and  full  Z',  and  the  b^oL*  Xe' 
.op-l  y«rfs  I  ,m  wager  fifty  g-^^eas  «he  s  a  jln  BuU  " 
And  he  brought  his  hand  down  with  emphasis. 

«>  near,  when  I  should  suppose  you  would  feel-most  anxious 
Not, .ng  can  prevent  the  vessel  from  coming  in,  rndtaZ 
whatever  yon  have.  An  American  would  prftee  y"„  Z 
™ch  I  hope  ,t  ,.,,  as  I  would  rcjoieo  once  to  place  eyes  on  a 
•  '"Mh'P  of  my  own  country !"  *        ^     ""  * 

cmL^'T'"^  "'  "'"'"'  *"  '■'"''"  ^°»>"  '•«""»*  that  would 
n  den  ly  have  compromised  his  patriotism  with  Pedro  Tf  not 
nhh,s  daughter;  when  the  former  remarked,  i     hu     ° 
P    nt.e,  fawnmg,  bowing  manner,  his  black  eye    dane  n.  and 
ghttenng,  and  his  teeth  smiling ;  "ancing  and 

"Me  see  Americano  frigate  in  Habana,  seiiorita;  he  berrv 

t::r~T'  'r*^'""''  ^'^  e™  -"'» -*«>  «nd  o^  z 

see  iro:,^..'  ''''"''  •""'"™'  "■"•  "-""•  '"'"^  ^--'p    i 

;l!!'i?!rL^:^":"«'  !''"'!S'"^""y;  "»'  "ot  answering 

of  H»™nrs:^::te7to"hi'"'"'  """"^'^  "'''^ ""  •"^•'«"" 


I 


20 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


1:! 


"  Oh,  81,  seiiora,  si,"  he  said,  rubbing  his  small  yellow  hands 
together,  and  looking  inexpressibly  happy  j  ''yes,  Habana,  too 
pretty — too  bootefool — De  handsomes  seety  in  de  voorl'.  Sish 
handsom  hous',  sich  graate  iglesias,  schurches,  noble  gardin, 
fine  street,  big  castle,  frigat  of  all  n?,tion — speak  sonoroso 
Spanish  language.  I  wish  too  mosh  scnorita  make  go  to 
Habana  \" 

"Pedro!" 

The  Creole  jumped  at  the  startling  sound  of  his  master's 
voice,  and  bent  low  before  him. 

"  Has  the  master  of  the  scudder  had  his  dinner,  and  has 
he  drunk  his  bottle  of  wine  ?" 

"  Si,  seiior,  me  go  see  I" 

"  Father,  who  is  that  low-browed  man  who  came  to  see  you 
just  as  we  rose  from  the  table  ?" 

'  "He  came  on  business.  Brought  me  this  letter  I  Girls 
and  wt)men  know  nothing  about  business  matters.  Don't  be 
inquisitive,  child." 

"  I  am  not  inquisitive,  father.  But  it  seemed  tc  please  you 
and  yet  to  trouble  you,  at  one  and  the  same  time,  that  I  could 
not  but  feel  some  curiosity  to  learn  from  whom  it  came.  I 
half  hoped"— 

"  Half  hoped  what  ?"  he  said,  turning  and  looking  her  full 
in  the  face.  , 

"  That  it  was  some  news  from  my  brother." 

"  None  from  him.  He  is  in  England,  and  doing  his  duty 
to  his  king  and  country." 

«  Poor  George  !"  sighed  the  maiden.  "  My  brother,  and 
yet  my  country's  foe  !" 

"  You  need  not  make  yourself  unhappy  rbout  him.  Ko  is 
as  much  of  an  Englishman  as  you  arc  an  American.  He  was 
born  in  London  and  you  in  Maine  !" 

"Yet  Atnerica  is  his  true  country.  I  heartily  yih\\ 
that — " 


Here 

about  U 

safe  in 

the  sigl 

salt-wat( 

preposse 

man,"  I 

stranger 

"Wei 

"Ail 

looking  1 

the  froni 

meant  fo] 

nice — an( 

well  store 

"We  ] 

your  vessi 

"Steeri 

soundin's 

a'ter  dari 

lead,  and  '. 

Mr.  Fie 

looked  vcji 

'iiul  thumt 

"Come, 

tliou  turnei 

lio  spoke  t( 

"  Yiss,  s 

"That  is 

^vith  this  Ic 

"Safe  as 

tipsy  confid 

l>it  first.     'I 

^iere  on  the 

i**  like  a  pal 


low  hands 
Eibana,  too 
rl'.  Sish 
le  gardin, 
sonoroso 
ike  go  to 


8  master's 
r,  and  has 

to  see  you 

ir  I    Girls 
Don't  be 

please  you 

at  I  could 

came.    I 

ig  her  full 


y  his  dufy 

tther,  and 

n.     lie  is 
,    He  was 

tily  wij^li 


THE   FRIGATE   IN   THE  OFI-IXQ.  21 

the  Mffht  nf  T>«^-^  •  i'^^percy,  Dut  discretion  and 

man,"  he  descended  the  sL,  otiCjir         T  "  "^ 
stranger  on  the  shelled  ,rf^flf'  '""""'  "'«'  ■»»'  "'» 

.-i;:a?ii:  :r„eh^.ihei::;Ti:;fL'^^  rr 

well  stored,  idmiral  1"  ^^  ""  ''''P  J""  1«^" 

"AVe  hav.;  to  in  these  wartimes  M«»(^r      a 
your  vessel  now  ?"  ^  "mes.  Master.    Are  j«u  for 

"  Sleerin'  straight  for  her.  Admiral '    Mean  i^h    ■    ;, 
«o«ndi„'s  'fore  the  first  nighlwateh      Don^L    l'  '°  f"? 

"Come,  I  will  walk  down  to  your  craft  with  you  "    ir„ 
I'cn  tnmed  to  Pedro  and  said  privately  •  "n  . 

1.0  ^poke  to  no  one  while  he  was'all.^L  ?^     ""'  "'  *'"' 
Y.SS  seilor!    Me  loek  him  in-find  him  lock  in  '■• 

with  thl  LZ"  ■  0    '"''  *'"'''  '"^''""P'  '  ""  '-We  you 
vun  tms  letter.     Can  you  carry  it  safely  ?" 

ki'  first.     They  do  s';  Admi™.'':!,,' ri.'".  ""1'  '"'°"'  » 

'-on  the  coast  from  St.  Johns'to^pi.rUau'^rb;.'  "l^r^;::: 
''  "if e  a  palace  any  way ;  and—" 


'It.  > 

'.hi       ■: 


I 


22 


NORVEL  HASTINQS;   OR, 


<^  Here  is  the  path  I  Come,  step  carefully,"  said  Mr.  Field- 
ing, thoroughly  disgusted  with  his  visiter,  but  whom  he  was, 
nevertheless,  afraid  to  leave  a  moment  to  himself;  for  to  suf- 
fer him  to  hold  conversation  with  any  person  were  a  risk  too 
great  for  him  to  run ;  he  therefore  had  no  intention  of  leav- 
ing him  till  he  should  see  him  take  the  boat  at  the  beach. 

Here  they  soon  arrived,  and  Westcap  stumbling  into  a  skiff 
in  which  two  men  waited  for  him,  was  pulled  oflf  to  a  small, 
sharp-bowed  vessel,  schooner-rigged  aft  and  sloop-rigged  for- 
ward, with  a  foresail  heavy  enough  for  a  vessel  four  times  as 
large,  a  kind  of  -"Taft  now  known  in  the  Bay  of  Fundy  as  a 
scudder,  and  then  in  use  more  or  less  along  the  eastern  coast 
of  Maine  by  a  certain  class  of  fishing  traders. 

Mr.  Fielding  anxiously  watched  until  he  beheld  the  scud- 
der make  sail  and  lay  her  course  down  the  bay ;  and  when  he 
'  saw  her  disappear  between  the  two  cliifs  that  formed  the  out- 
let to  the  ocean,  he  blessed  his  good  fortune  in  having  got 
clear  of  a  man  who,  as  he  expressed  it  to  himself,  as  be 
reclimbed  the  way  to  the  villa,  "might  have  done  him  an* 
irreparable  mischief  with  his  tipsy  tongue,  had  the  humour 
taken  him." 


THE  FRIGATE  IN   THE  OFPINO. 


Mr.  Field- 
a  he  was, 
For  to  suf- 
a  risk  too 
1  of  leav- 
beacb. 
itoaskiff 

0  a  small, 
igged  for- 
r  times  as 
undy  as  a 
tern  coast 

tho  sciid- 

1  when  he 
d  the  out- 
Laving  got 
2lf,  as  be 

e  him  an  'I 
e  humour 


28 


CHAPTER  III. 

I   '^fT  ^^T,T  """""^"'^  *  ^^^  ^^^^'^^^  standing  where 
hei.  father  had  left  h.r,  upon  the  verandah,  and  gazing  w  th 
mtcrest  upon  the  ship-of-war,  which,  with  her  head  s'ails  bfcC 
ay  tc,  stationary  upon  the  sea.     Taking  the  spy-glass,  sh 
t  led  to  -guess  '  lier  nation;  but  as  this  was  tho  first  frigate 
she  had  ever  seen  there  was  but  little  chance  of  success  in 
this  spec.es  of  nautical  scrutiny.     But  her  eye  in  ranging  along 
the  honzon  detected  a  second  vessel  some  distance  to  leewardf 
and  which  seemed  to  have  met  the  squall  also,  for  her  fore! 
topsail  was  close  reefed. 

Mary  was  sailor  enough  to  know  that  the  second  vessel  was 

a  large  schooner  with  foretopgollantsail  yard  across;  and  she 

new  by  the  rakish  slew  of  her  masts,  that  she  was'  a  differ! 

nt  affair  from  the  clumsy,  short,  upright-masted  coasters  she 

had  been  accustomed  to  see  pass  the  Beacon  Head,  and  anchor 

111  the  bay.  ^ 

"Bears  me,  Miss  Mary,  'ow  can  you  lovo  to  look  so  much  hon 

he  ornd  sea,  and  'old  that  'cavy  glass  at  arms'  length,  enough 

to  brcA  both  of  your  harms,  to  say  nothing  of  jambing  your 

hoyes  hout?    I  'ato  the  sea-I'm  so  ti™d  of  seeing  it     Hit 

,  .Mho  same  thing  from  morning  till  night,  blue  and  dull 

Si  tZtimor"    '"™  ""'" '""  '""  ""'  '""^  ''^'  "'"  ^''^ 
"And  it  is  pleasant  to  look  at  tho  sky,  espeeially  iu  the 


24 


NORVEL   HASTINGS  J   OB, 


night  when  the  stars  are  out.  Don't  }ou  remeirber,  Hetty, 
how  I  showed  you  Orion,  and  the  Pleiades,  and  the  north  star, 
and  Jupiter  and  his  moons,  and  Saturn " 

"  T  dare  says  I  saw  something — but  they  danced  habout  so 
one  couldn't  tell  j  and,  has  for  Satan,  I  didn't  care  about  seeing 
him,  and  so  I  shut  my  heyes  when  you  pointed  at  the  'orrid 
monster,  as  the  cethens  vorshipped  !" 

The  speaker  was  a  rosy-chGcked,  buxonr  little  maiden  about 
sixteen  years  of  aije,  with  hazel  eyes,  brown  hair  that  curled 
coquettishly  about  her  little  ears,  and  ripe,  cherry-tinted  lips, 
that  would  have  captivated  a  honey-bee,  to  say  nothing  of  a 
young  man's  heart.  She  was  dressed  in  a  white  frock,  short 
enough  to  show  a  pretty  ankle  and  foot,  a  black  silk  apron,  a 
blue  ribbon  tied  in  a  love-knot  about  her  neck,  and  a  brooch 
and  ear-rings,  the  latter  representing  a  heart  hanging  by  a 
gof  leu  hoop.  Altogether,  she  was  a  nice,  clever,  blooming, 
mischievous-looking  little  /emme-de-chamhre,  which  was  the 
oflBce  she  held  near  the  person  of  the  beautiful  Mary  Fielding. 
By  birth  a  cockney,  she  still  retained  the  freshness  of  her  native 
enunciation,  and  her  London  notions  about  nearly  every  idea 
that  her  little  round  head  held. 

"  I  should  think  you  would  find  amusement  in  watching  the 
vessels  on  the  ocean.  Hetty,"  said  her  mistress,  who  smiled 
at  her  astronomical  speech. 

"  Dears  me  !  One  wcssel  a  day  !  Hin  Lonnon  you  can  see 
sights  o'  young  lords  and  gentlemen,  and  fine  hequipages,  a 
hundred  going  by  in  a  minnit !  I  honly  want  to  see  the  wes- 
sel  that  is  going  to  take  you  to  Lonnon,  and  me  with  you,  dear 
Miss  Mary." 

"  Well,  Hetty,  one  of  these  days !  You  have  not  been 
three  years,  no,  not  two  from  England,  and  yet  you  are  sighing 
to  return,  while  I  have  never  been  there,  and  yet  how  quiet 
I  am." 

*•  You  wouidu'i  'ardly  be  so,  Misw,  hif  you'd  seen  Lonnon. 


You'd 
it  once 
"We 
"Hal 

going  w 

land.     ] 

"Ise 

if  you  8 

we  can  ^ 

for  you 

much;  1 

"No,i 

English 

away  froi 

wish  we  ( 

"Wei 

if  he  hea 

hurry  ?"  j 

there  was 

to  be  infoi 

little  maic 

patted  the 

visibly  he] 

the  "Wil 

pretty  mot 

he  would  I 

existence. 

Miss  Fi 

heart  in  he 

glass  over  i 

regard  to  ti 

sea  for  her 

expression  i 

in  her  eye, 

3 


THE  FRIGATE  IN  THE  OFFING.  26 

1:^1  Z^'  '''''  '""'-  ^'"  -»' »»  «»'  *»  %  %-  on 
"  Well,  Hetty,  father  says  after  this  war " 

land     I  w.sh  I  had  ne«r  left  it,  dears  me !"  ^' 

1  see  you  are  oat  of  patience  about  the  war,  Hettv     But 

we':.  Z  ,:„'"'-->^'  y™  «-alI  go  in  the  ^fvl,  .t 
we  eai.  get  you  passage  on.     I  should  miss  you  very  mueh 

awc.y  trom  you  !  I  lore  you  too  well  to  leave  you  •  bat  I  hnX 
wish  we  could  hall  go  I"  ^     '        ^  ^^^v 

"We  may  soon   Hetty.     What  would  William  say,  Hetty 
if  he  heard  you  wishinrr  to  go  back  tn  Fn,,i     a  -  . 

hurrv  ?"  oot^^  *k         .  r       .^  J^ngland  m  such  a 

JCwas^vrrtrh;::::!-,:!;::  ;.r  '^t 

pretty  motions  and  plays  of  Icve,  h3C  ^   "0^0^ 
!:::".  "^^  't!^  *»  -^  -  »^  '-^  ""PP'-  W  il' 

;;^:^5;y::::i:Sit:dr^:^-.- 

-  .r  her  own  amusom^enn;t:r rir  2^^^^ 
oppression  m  her  fine  face,  and  »  „lnc.  „...!..• ".'"' 

■»  her  eye,  that  indicated  that  .  ^^^Z  ZTZl 


26 


NORVEL  HASTINGS;   OR, 


I 


pastime  guided  her  telescope.  It  was  particularly  (^I'r^cted  to 
the  south-western  board,  and  in  that  quarter  was  levelled  long 
and  steadily,  until  the  sight  of  the  scudder  hoisting  her  sails 
in  the  bay  below  drew  Hetty's  attention,  whereupon  her  excla- 
mation caused  her  mistress  to  remove  her  eye  from  the  glass, 
and  turn  and  look  to  the  left  upon  the  bay. 

"  This  is  a  short  and  hodd  visit  to  Master,"  said  Hetty.  "I 
didn't  like  the  looks  o'  that  man  in  the  tj^.rpaulin  an'  storm- 
jacket,  at  hall.  Miss  Mary.     I  wonder  what  brought  'im  'ere !" 

"  He  came  on  business,  and  you  shonld  not  be  too  curious, 
Hetty,"  answered  Mary,  who,  nevertheless,  had  felt,  from  the 
mysterious  mode  of  the  visit,  and  its  effect  upon  her  father, 
the  keenest  curiosity  to  learn  the  object  of  it." 

"  Well,  it  is  the  huglicst-lookirig  vessel,  too,  I  hever  laid 
heyes  hon  !  Its  sails  i-  a  mile  too  big  for  hit;  and  I've  no 
do^bt  it'll  tip  hover  be.jre  hit  gets  where  hit's  going  to. 
But  here  comes  the  clork.  Master  Cracklewood ;  and  his  thin 
face  looks  an  hinch  longer  than  hever.  Something 's  the  mat- 
ter down  to  the  warehouses.  Miss  Mary,  I  '11  be  bound.  He  'd 
never  stir  from  his  desk  to  walk  up  here,  with  his  thin,  spider- 
legs,  hif  there  wasn't." 

''  Hetty^  you  are  too  saucy,  girl !" 

''Well,  MisB  Mary,  there's  reasons;"  and  here  she  pureed 
her  rose-bud  lips :  "  there 's  reasons  for  being  saucy,  perhaps, 
when  some  folks  ia,»amed !" 

"Pray,  what  has  Mr.  Cracklewood  said  to  stir  your  ire, 
Hetty  ?"  said  her  mistress,  laughing  at  her  manner. 

"He  on»i  uiv  covdpared  my  fingers  to  shapely  goose  quills, 
and  takinr.;  hdd  of  my  h-^nu,  wanted  to  sharpen  the  nail  of 
the  little  finger,  and  write  with  it.  And  then  he  had  the 
'dacity  to  say  ray  mouth  was  prettier  than  a  c^ "al  hinkstand, 
and  was  filled  with  the  hink  o'  nectarine  or  son  bather  kind 
o'  preserve.  He  is  an  old  grizzled  bachelor,  and  must  keep 
his  flirtatings  to  himself." 


laid 


THE  JRIOATE  IN   THR  OrriNO. 

The  personage  thus  compliracntorily  alluded  to  by  the  spoiled 

t.co  hat  ,n  hand,  w.th  a  low  bow  to  Miss  Fielding,     ul  wl 
a  tall,  spare  man,  w  th  fierv  red  hmV  ^.«       u-  i 

-.With <A:it s.ts"::dX  rirtatzt 
::ra;tin::^-iS^^^^^^^^ 

n,ia,.f^.  ^  ,      ^  stocKmgs,  of  dark  mixed  ffrav  hiffh- 

Iw  ''^    '""""■  ""  *■"'  "='''^''  °'  '-■«'«'-•■■  of  Fielding 

FilTZ  whTV".  '''""''  ''"  ^'""owc^^/'  accosted  Mis., 
r.eld.ng,  w.th  that  cou^sy  whieh  novo,  forsakes  right-minded 

portant  eentelligiuce  to  n.ake  known  to  hi  "  "'■ 

iwn  m  the  du-cct.on  of  the  descent  to  the  beach      Km. 
pouted,  and  looking  after  him,  said,  ' 

a .-.".""l-'"'  ir"^  ■     ''"  P''""""^^  »»*  *»  ««o  me  when  you 
"0  by,  J  ,ss  Mary;  bat  whenever  I  am  halone,  he'raL  a^ 

Tf      X.         /"^*^  "^"1  •     1*  i  should  dare  to  te  1  Wil " 

llerft  the  siid'lnn  K :--      " 

-    ne  pucaea  buuimiig  or  a  cannon  from  the  sea  startled 


IT 


I1i 


28 


I! 


i 


I 


NORVEL  HASTINGS;    OR, 


maid  and  mistress;  and,  looking  in  the  direction  of  the  sound, 
they  saw  a  wreath  of  smoke  rolling  swiftly  along  the  surface 
of  the  water,  to  leeward  of  the  xrigatc,  looking  like  a  cloud 
fallen  fi-om  the  skies  on  the  bosom  of  the  blue  ocean. 

At  this  moment  the  head  of  Mr.  Fielding  appeared,  as  he 
climbed  over  the  edge  of  the  bluff,  closely  followed  by  Pedro. 

"My  glass,  bring  the  glass,  Mary!"  he  shouted  to   his 
daughter  as  soon  as  he  regained  his  feet 

She  instantly  obeyed  him,  hastening  from  the  house  to  carry 

it  to  him,  notwithstanding  the  ejaculations  of  Hetty,  that  if 

they  went  one  step  nearer  the  sea  they  would  "hall  be  killed, 

and  ^/im  who'll  see  Lonnon?"  • 

Mr.  Fielding  no  sooner  placed  the  glass  to  his  eye,  than  he 
said, 

"  She  has  fired  to  bring  that  schooner  to,  to  leeward ;  and 
there  is  a  flash  !  that  is  another  gun  for  the  same  purpose ;  for 
I  kn  distinctly  see  the  spout  of  the  water  as  the  shot  struck 
it  astern  of  the  schooner.  She  is  a  large  frigate,  and  carries 
heavy  metal,  by  the  way  her  guns  speak.  The  schooner  must 
be  a  Yankee  I" 

"  Or  perhaps  one  o'  our  own  craft,  sir,"  observed  the  Man- 
ager, who  was  peering  over  Mr.  Fielding's  shoulder  with  his 
eye  run  along  the  hjirrel  of  the  telescope,  as  if  he  could  thereby 
bo  assisted  in  seeing.  "  It  was  to  report  to  ye,  sir,  the  fact 
that  I  had  discoovcred  the  fragatc  out  in  the  offing  from  the 
turret  o'  the  warehoosc  that  I  hastened  hither  to  tell  ye,  sus- 
picioning  ye  had  na'  seen  it,  an'  fearin'  it  might  be  a  deen- 
gerous  neighbour,  and  shoul  be  wcel  looked  to.  Ken  ye  its 
flag,  sir?" 

V  No,  but  I  '11  wager  she  is  John  Bull." 

"  Thin  it's  expeedient,  sir,  we  get  the  people  together  to  got 
the  wares  and  goods  up  the  river  farther,  oot  o'  the  reach  o'  their 
booats,  whilk'll  bo  speerin  aboot  seekin'  what  they  may 
devoor." 


"Th 

hour  to 

to  take 

five  me 

and  the 

"Iti 

one  hu] 

and  pip 

the  faru 

and  cos 

'Petrel' 

India  fti 

and  ther 

barque  ^ 

vera  cosi 

war-ship 

"Ikn 

is  quite 

decide  vi 

you.     T : 

yet  the  si 

and  (*ven 

"  W^ar, 

niay  be  a  i 

check  th.i 

louder  th 

"The? 

the  friga( 

l>er  coloiu 

wise  to  u 

for  it.    H 

head  yard 

The  see 

bluiF.     Ti] 


THE    FRIOATE    IN   THE    OPFIXO. 

"TI'ero'llbeplentj«me,iMastorCr«l<lc„ood;ifsnowan 

to  take  care  of  our  goods.  I'ou  know  we  have,  all  told,  forty- 
iv  ».en  ou  employ  i„  field  and  warehouse,  boat  and  wharf 
au  these  can  take  all  to  a  .afe  pl„.„  in  four  hours,  or  by  dS" 
It  may  be  mr;  but  ye  have  noo,  at  the  least  ealculatiou 
one  hunder-  thousand  dollars  o'  wealth  in  packages  and  b„^ 
ad  p,pe,  and  .f  ye  lose  the,e  ye  'll  be  a  poor  man,  sir,  aibl  ns 
he  farm  and  mansion  hoos.     There 's  the  vessel  load  o'  silk, 

itreTt-  .'',  ""'"'  ""'^  "'"'="™'''  ««-'  fr-  'ho 
I  If  r^;  u  'T  "  "'"  ''"'f ''™«'"  "f'V'^o'  «"<!  West 
Ind>afru,s  brought  by  the  schooner 'Jeannette'  last  week 

wque  '  Wdham-  before  wc  heard  of  this  war,  all  these  arc 
^era  costly,  and  are  not  in  a  safe  place  so  near  the  sea,  with  a 
war-ship  on  the  coost.     Then  there  is '' 

is  ll!"""/"  ""'''  r.''  *'"''"  ^'''■'"^'  »<■  »'  "'y  '■"«'-' 
lele  „  f  •"  r  """■■•,  «'f«'y  <«  y«"%yo«  must  let  me 
de  which  ,s  best  and  follow  my  directions,  a.  becomes 
yo.  I  have  seen  this  fngate  in  »■.»  offing,this  last  hour,  and 
jet  the  sight  of  her  has  not  frightened  me,  as  I  see  it  has  you, 
and  even  Mary  looks  p.dc."  ^    ' 

"  "'»'■.  -1«^>-  father,  is  so  terrible.     The  prospect  that  thcro 
n  ay  be  a  battle  between  the  two  vessels  is  enough  to  pale  a  stouter 
eek  than  mme.     There  is  a  third  gun  fired,  and  it  seems 
loiulcr  than  the  others." 

''The  schooner  is  an  armed  vessel-and,  see!  nhe  return. 
I'e  ft  gate  s  fire  !  That  h  bold,  to  say  the  least  I  8he  has 
hor  colours  set  too,  but  I  can't  make  them  out-they  fly  edce- 
^.se  to  us.  The  sehooner  now  squares  her  yards  and  rl 
to  t.  How  she  spreads  her  canvass  I  The  frigate  swings  her 
head  yards  and  pursues;  and  hark  I  how  she  thunders  I" 
^  IJ.0  scene  was  now  deeply  excitinc  to  the  Bi^a.inr.  n«  '., 
t'luii     The  schooner,  which  h 


*      Pi 


a 


been  fired  at  to  heave 


to. 


no 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


was  full  a  league  beyond  the  frigate  when  the  first  gun  was 
discharged  from  her,  and  had  been  edging  up  towards  her  as 
if  to  make  her  out;  which  temerity  was  rewarded,  as  we  have 
seen,  by  a  shot.  The  second  and  third  shots  led  to  a  change 
in  tho  movements  of  the  schooner;  and  wearing  so  as  to  bring 
a  bow  gun  to  bear  on  the  frigate,  she  fired  a  parting  salute, 
and,  as  if  satisfied  of  the  quality  of  the  huge  stranger,  steered 
square  off  before  the  wind  and  went  southward  at  a  fleet  speed. 
The  frigate  followed  for  about  four  miles,  when,  finding  that 
the  schooner  steadily  increased  her  distance,  she  gave  up  the 
chase  and  came  to  again. 

"  That  is  because  she  finds  herself  too  crippled  to  overtake 
the  fellow,"  said  Mr.  Fielding,  who  with  the  rest  had  watched 
the  chase  with  deep  interest.  "  If  she  had  her  top-gj^llant 
masts  up  again,  I  'd  answer  for  her  she  'd  have  the  runaway 
schooner  in  her  hands  before  midnight." 

"  I  would  like  to  ascertain  vera  particularly,"  said  David 
Craeklewood,  "what  flags  these  vessels  sail  under.  These 
are  peerilous  teems,  sir !" 

"  There  are  tw«  of  out  bay  fishing  boats  outside;  and  one 
of  them  is  running  close  past  the  frigate's  bow ;  and  they  will 
be  able  to  tell  us  something  of  her,  when  they  come  in,"  said 
i^Ir.  Fielding,  who  stili  held  tt)«  glass. 

"  There  goes  a  craft  creeping  out  down  the  shore  o'  the  bay, 
sir  I  If  ye  pleeze,  shoot  yer  glass  that  awa'  and  see  if  ye  ken 
wha  it  may  be  !" 

"  That — that  is  a  small  Eastport  trader,  just  been  in  here 
to  make  a  bargain  about  my  wares,  David." 

"  I  did  na'  see  the  mon." 

"  No.  He  came  to  anchor  in  the  bay  below  there,  and 
came  straight  to  the  house." 

"It's  vera  odd;  they  should  na  do  their  becsness  that 
ftwa',  but  coom  up  to  the  warehouse,  and  not  make  yer  hoos 
tt  countinff-room.  Hir.     lint  y^^*  «"!<>  »/^  *^'^  ^,..,e^  t  ».^.>nf 


THE  FRIGATE   IN    TIIK   O-INQ.  gj 

makin'  for  the  outeide."  °  ^'""O"  "'"^^  '"d 

"I  seo  it,  but  can't  make  out  who  is  in  ;, .  •.  • 
too  dusky,  for  the  mn  you  see  fail  H  "  S'"''"* 

is  a  «bee,  probably  Dirk  Hard.!  '       ^"'PP^^'-g-     But  it 

Bavid::rartL^2-;r>-^^^^^^^^ 

cious  vessels  are  oot  of  swht  -  fn.  v  '  *^®'^  «"»Pi- 

*.  .caUh  o-,oor:t^ll"X:rr^:^°l:^re't" 
;-Jg..h,ye„orearui„ed„onaforerUXt^ 

Mr.  Fielding  did  not  hear  or  heed  these  remarks  of  rt,„ 
|..c.ous  and  eautious  Seotsmau,  for  he  was  at  the  „I    ),  T 
■"g,  with  an  expression  of  intense  IhI  ,  T"*''- 

locoguiso  the  "cross  nf  fif    n„  ,  "^  "^h  eyes,  to 

wi,i4  words  uar::id  his'  ^i:  i  yf7f  ^r^'"  «•" 

discretion  cheeked  their  utteraucT^  fV  he  Lrri       "' 
;  ere  present  would  sy.pathi.  :,-.: U^'Zll    Tr! 

"  t;  rastVr"^^'  '"^ '"" """' "''"  *»"" "'  «■»  -' 

"  Pleases  me !  It  ought  not,  child.     The  frigate  is  Buglish 

moment  that  sunset  gun  was  fired," 
'■•Aa  JingUsh  frig^it!"  repeated  David  with  the  keenest 


4  »U 


f 


82 


NORVEL  HASTINGS  J   OR, 


alarm.     "That  bodes  us  na  good!    Wud   no  I   better  be 
Btirrin'  up  the  people  to  move  the  goods  up  the  creek?" 

"  There  can  be  no  danger  to-night.  The  frigate  would  not 
come  in  the  bay  without  a  pilot  j  and  she  would  hardly  send 
her  boats  in  the  night  for  what  she  could  take  by  day." 

David  looked  at  the  calm  face  of  his  employer  with  surprise 
and  perplexity.  He  beheld  in  him  a  ruined  man,  in  his  own 
imagination,  and  he  wondered  at  his  quiet  confidence  in  safety 
with  so  much  at  stake,  and  a  dangerous  enemy  so  near.  It  did 
not  harmonize  with  his  master's  ordinarily  sagacious  and  safe 
mode  of  doing  business,  and  he  began  to  suspect  that  the 
presence  of  the  terrible  war-ship  had  turned  his  head,  and  that 
he  had  gone  daft. 

"  It  maun  be,  it  maun  be,"  he  soliloquized.  "  The  fear  o' 
losing  all  has  made  him  clean  daft.  He  smiled,  I  kenned, 
whan  he  made  oot  the  flag  to  be  English,  but  I  'm  jalousing 
it  was  a  uncannie  smile — ^no  a  natural-like  ane.  He 's  daft, 
and  it  becooms  me  to  tak  the  safety  o'  things  in  me  own  hands; 
and  I  will  do  it  without  further  woord  of  Maister  Fielding 
aboon  the  matter."  . 

With  this  resoluion,  after  having  cast  a  gloaming  and  fear- 
ful eye  towards  the  dark-looking  war-ship  that  lay  about  four 
miles  off,  he  said  ho  would  "  gang  back  to  the  warehoose,  for 
in  his  hurry  to  come  away  he  had  left  the  doors  unfastened." 

Mr.  Fielding,  who  was  a  man  of  the  closest  observation  and 
keenest  sagacity,  otherwise  he  wpuld  not  have  been  the  opu- 
lent proprietor  and  merchant  he  was,  seemed  clearly  to 
read  his  factor's  thoughts,  for  David's  face  was  expressive 
of  the  workings  of  his  mind,  and  following  him,  he  put  bis 
arm  in  his  and  walked  by  his  side,  leaving  his  daughter,  her 
maid  and  Pedro,  upon  the  cliff,  the  former  intently  watching 
the  receding  form  of  the  schooner,  interested  in  it  becauso 
nhe  now  knew  it  was  American.  Pedro,  meanwhile,  essayed 
to  engage  the  pert  cockney  girl  in  sentimental  conversation, 
but  with  various  results. 


"Da 

have  Ic 

the  hali 

"Na, 

wood,  d 

face;  " 

joostly  ( 

the  payi 

"You 

too  low 

years  ag< 

Sir  Char] 

under  th( 

wards,  an 

Mr.  Char 

—a  mere] 

"And 

"ASci 

catiite — in 

Jiiy  father 

title:  but 

were  my  a 

I  resolved 

pi'oud  brol 

iJiy  father's 

a  lueuiul,  a 

HC6S.      liut 

it  a  noble  d 

^;i\v  at  a  g] 

solved  to  be 

tlic  land  ai 

ein])tying  ir 

place  to  ladt 

'ii'cd  not  t( 


THE  FRIGATE  IN  THE  OFEINQ.  33 

the  half  ff  1;;:,^^"'  "^^^^^^  '»  -•     ^  »-  ^o-  fuU 
wnl'/'n  ^°"^  ^'t"'  ^'''''^'"«'  "'^'"  ^^''^•od  Mr.  Crackle 

j-iy  ci.„  „. ,,  isW^:;  rJ\i::;:  rri:: 

llie  payiu'  quarterly."  '  missed 

"You  aro  too  conscientious,  worthy  David -have  auila 
too  low  an  opinion  of  yonr  use  to  me  When,  twenty  four 
yours  ago,  I  fe„  heir  to  this  estate,  by  the  death  'of "; t:!^^^^ 
i..  Charles,  who  was  foolish  enough,  because  he  had  liv"e 
uudor  the  crown  before  the  revolution,  to  remain  h  Je  aft^r 
™H  and  so  saerifiee  h=3  country  and'title,  to  be  called  ^u" 
.«..  Char  es  F.eldmg;  when  he  willed  '..is  to  mc,  X  was  po» 
-a  merchant's  clerk  iu  London."  "     '^ 

"And  yet  an  Earl's  son  !" 

"A  Scotch  Earl's,  David-with  a  castle-in  the  air  and  an 
c«We-.n  the  moon,  where  all  poor  men's  homesteads  lie    B„° 

w":  my"  creT  VZZ'Tci  T  "  T'"  '"^  ""^ 
1.     1     1  X    ,  '         '  ^^^  Charles  made  me  his  heir 

Houd  b.other,  Eaa  James-who,  forsooth,  because  he  bore 
y  a ther's  tjtle,  and  inherited  his  estates,  lUed  upon  m  ^ 
."cna ,  and  once  insulted  me  beyond  a  brother's  forgive 

oble  domain  but  rude  and  wild,  and  without  tenants     I 
M  V  at  a  glance  its  capabilities  for  enriching  me ;  and  I  re 
»Ivcd  to  become  both  fanner  and  merehant-^to  p  ough  both 
tto    and  and  the  sea  for  gold.     The  inlet,  with  the  creek 

zr?;'"  ':•  \r  "^^  ■""^° "» --"ont  Zdn; 

piacc  tG  lade  and  un''»'^'»  •"•- ^'      .-^     ..    .  o 

,„.,]       ,   ,  vaigvrs     suurcjij,  ir  i  Wished :  for  r 

--a  not  to  unfold  to  all  men's  o,e.  the  ways  by  which  I 


lii 


i    I' 


f 


u 


NORVEL  HASTINGS;   OR, 


I 


intended  to  grow  rich.  The  annual  visits  of  the  caravans  of 
sleds  of  the  Canadian  habitans  of  the  St.  Lawrence  in  winter, 
'  to  this  and  the  neighbouring  bays  for  fish  to  sell  in  Quebec 
during  lent,  suggested  the  idea  of  my  profitable  Canadian 
trade  j  by  loading  their  return  sleds  half  with  frozen  fish,  and 
the  other  half  with  bales  of  foreign  goods  stored  beneath. 
These,  received  by  my  agent  in  Quebec  free  from  the  heavy 
duties  paid  on  such  as  entered  the  St.  Lawrence  by  ship,  have 
been  the  basis  of  my  wealth." 
"Ye  ha'  deserved  it,  sir !" 

"  Perhaps  I  have,  David.  I  owe  much  to  you,  however. 
When  I  sent  for  you  to  come  from  Scotland  to  me,  I  knew 
well  your  qualities,  and  I  was  not  deceived.  You  have  not 
only  carried  out  my  plans,  but  enlarged  and  extended  them 
for  my  benefit.  It  was  at  your  suggestion  I  built  my  own 
vessels  and  sent  them  to  the  West  Indies  and  the  Spanish 
Main,  to  England  and  to  France.  But  times  are  changing 
about  us,  David  !" 

"  I  see  it  weel,  sir  V  sighed  the  Manager.  "  This  is  a  sad 
war  wi*  EIn  gland  V 

"  You  are  very  American,  I  think,  David  ?" 
"Very  nearly  a  born  ane,  sir.     I  love  the  country  nixt 
to  Scotland.    For  England,  na'  true  Scot  can  hold  her  in  eesti- 
mation. " 

"  As  I  said,  David,  the  times  arc  changed.  This  war  may 
continue  years.  Our  commerce  must  cease  on  the  sea;  and 
our  winter  exports  by  the  sleds,  this  coming  winter,  into 
Canada,  will  be  stopped  by  tlv^  war." 

"True  enough;  I  did  na'  think  o'  that,  sir.  It  is  vera 
solemn  times,  uncannie  times,  sir." 

"  So  I  think,  David.  Therefore,  I  shall  take  the  first  oppor- 
tunity to  turn  my  bales  into  money,  and  leave  for " 

"  For  the  ceetv  o'  Boston-,  and  live  there  like  a  nrince,  sir?" 
"Well,  perhaps,  perhaps,"  answered   the  merchant,  eva- 


sively. 
David.' 

"Nc 

"So] 

you  saj 

domain 

value. 

The^ 

his  sudc 

key  to  h 

soul,  am 

"You 

"Na, 

sir!" 

"Ian 

opportun, 

services. 

is  time  in 

war  you  c 

at  an  end 

Thoy  h 

Fielding  ; 

room,  the 

Josk  with 

the  contrai 

"It's  re 

I'iirdly  supj 

"That! 

"  The  es 

'Wilts'  house 

"All!   ] 


"  Weel, 

-^5^1    r, ; 

Ht'lf  for  joy, 


ivans  of 
I  winter, 
Quebec 
Danadian 
fish,  and 
beneath, 
le  heavy 
hip,  have 


however. 
,  I  knew 
have  not 
led  them 
my  own 
Spanish 
changing 

s  is  a  sad 


ntry  nixt 
r  in  eesti- 

war  may 
sea;  and 
[iter,  into 

[t  is  vera 

rst  oppor- 
» 

nee,  sirr 
lant,  eva- 


ME  rsiaAiE  M  TM  omNa.  '       35 

^^^ei,._«BuashaUgo.„ewWe.     N„„  ,ou  We  .one, 

valuo.     For  tef  thousand;!  "t':,  T,  ""  "^''"'^  '*« 
The  Scot's  eyes  sparkled      hIi  T.      '  ^  '^'^'^  '""<>  '■" 

by  to  his  ambitiou  had  been  touched  An  t  u  '''•  ^""^ 
-ul  and  seemed  pleased  at  its  ^ett  Jf '  '""'<""«  -<>  i"- 
You  hesitate,  David  I" 

"^'a,  na!   But  there'll  K«  «„        ^    , 

r  "  "^  "'"'^^'J  oyo"  ganging  away, 


sir!" 


"I  am  rich  enough.  I  am  now  willing  ,„  • 
opportunity  I  have  so  long  eniovedlr;^  ,  ^'™  ^^  ""« 
services.  I  must  go,  and  my  land  r,  T"  '  ^""  '^''^''^^ 
is  time  my  daughti'was  ^^/ Z  so^tr^lr  '.h  ' 

m      ,    ,  ^'"' agf<=o '0  purchase  ?"  '^ 

ilicy  had  now  reached  the  door  of  tl,„ 
KcMing  led  him  into  the  hall  and  th  J  "t  ""''  *^'- 

room,  the  door  of  which  ho  Ltd  "S°V"'"  ''"  ''"™*'' 
<losk  with  me,  David,  and  „c  wU  t  ol  ^  ^""""'^  "'  ■">' 
tl.c  contract  of  sale !"  "  ^''™  "?  "'«'  ^ign 

"It's robbing  you,  MaisterFieldinff"«ni.IT.    -i     , 
l'-''Iy  oppress  his  nervous  ea „  f,' «  "f ' ''"' "'"'''' 

"Tl'at  is  ,ny  own  issue,  nofy^rs-    -^""""" "'""^bcry." 

"..'""IrerrUll  r"' "' ''"'"'"'--' »''  -'-rf,  and  ten- 

JZ,  X  i;;Twtrir/:rL';r-  ''rr 

—gu.  xviin  aimuuuce,  while  ho  Pm,M  i"   31       ^ 
«'lf  for  joy.  '  "^  ^°"^^  ^^^^Jy  contain  him- 


36 


NORVEL  HASTINGS;   OR, 


"i  .1 


The  necessary  papers  had  already  been  drawn  up  in  antici- 
pation of  this  business  arrangement  by  Mr.  Fielding,  who,  as 
the  story  will  develope,  had  been  conceiving  certain  plans  of 
his  own  since  the  war  was  declared.  They  were  duly  signed 
in  duplicates  by  both  parties,  and  bills  on  Boston,  where  Mr. 
Cracklewood's  funds  were  at  interest,  to  the  amount  of  the 
purchase-money,  were  placed  by  the  happy  purchaser  in  the 
hands  of  Mr.  Fielding.  It  is  questionable,  whether  a  bargain 
was  ever  concluded  on  such  mutually  satisfactory  terms  as 

this  one. 

<'  And  now,  my  good  Maister  Fielding,  what  '11  be  done  wi' 
the  bales  o'  your  property  in  the  warehoose  ?" 

"  I  '11  have  them  removed  in  good  time.  Leave  that  to  me. 
Let  us  now  have  some  wine  togetlier  to  seal  our  trade !" 
,  "  Wi'  the  greatest  pleasure,  sir !  Do  I  buy  all  the  foorniture 
o'  the  mansion  ?"  asked  David,  as  his  eye  glanced  at  the  gilt- 
tering  plate  upon  the  side-board,  and  then  around  upon  the 
rich  tables,  carpets,  and  hangings. 

"All  but  the  family  plate,  Master  Cracklewood.  Here  is 
Burgundy  and  here  Port.  Let  me  fill  your  glass !  But  I  will 
first  call  for  lights." 

Leaving  Mr.  Fielding  to  accomplish  the  oblivious  inebriation 
of  the  Scot,  a  task  to  which  he  deliberately  devoted  himself, 
we  return  to  Mary  Fielding. 


It  wil 

when  M] 

conversa 

in  the  pr 

JMary 

par'iure  o 

which  wa 

ing  cveni 

its  surfac 

orange  an 

the  frigat( 

in  the  sou 

Jjird  nesti 

were  in  th 

if  desirous 

>scudder  ha 

^as  hidden 

had  drawn 

stealing,  as 

sliorc  in  th^ 

"Itberr 

^ho,  seeing 

'hniight  he ' 

4 


MK-' 


THE  FRIGATE   IN  THE  Oi'nm. 


37 


CHAPTER  IV. 

convention  "S^^^^^^^  7™  ""^  ««ff' »»  hold  the 

pa'^:rofS^^^^^^^^^^^^  »f-  «.o  ae. 

wa  liiddon  bv  them  •  I,„t  «!,„  r...    i    ,    ^  "°  ''"y  *'"i 

''»<!  drawn  the  atrn'tion.f  ^''^  ">  "''i"'' the  Manager 

«1.«.-  tn'r  ^"'f ''="'/P%  «"«,  along  the  windings  of  the 
"■o.o  in  the  direction  of  the  outlet  of  the  bay.        ■ 

who,  LdnThtr"  ""7' '"""  ^"'y-"  '"'-"'''  P-xi-. 

-"gBt.,ewo,,,p,„™bi„,eif.oiai,:;?trtr;iH;'':i:; 


f 


8$ 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OK, 


Missee,  if  you  see  de  sky  in  "West  Indee  I  It  all  as  pretty  as 
de  back  of  dolphin — ten  fousand  color  an'  more  !  Ah,  Missee 
,  Heety,  T  vish  you  see  Habana  I" 

"  Havanna  ?"  repeated  the  pretty  English  lass ,  with  an  une- 
quivocal expression  of  contempt.  "  If  you  'ad  seen  Lon'nun, 
Master  Pedro,  you'd  never  think  o'  talkin'  of  hcny  bother 
place  boa  this  hearth !  Vhy  there's  the  Park  a  hundred  mile 
round,  band  the  Surrey  Gardens,  hand  Boxhall,  hand  the  me- 
nagery,  band  the  tower,  hand  the  Cold  Streamers,  hand  the, 
hand  the  circuses,  hand  the  King,  hand  the  Queen,  hand  the 
New  River,  hand  Christmas  olidays,  band  Guy  Forks,  band  St. 
Polls,  band  Newgate,  band  the  two  giants,  ban' " 

Hers  Hetty  stopped  to  take  breath,  and  seeing  tl.-.L  poor 
Pedro  looked  bewildered,  she  added,  in  a  tone  of  pity, 

"  You  talk  of  Havanna !  But  I  won't  shame  you !  0,  I 
Uare  say  you  haven't  got  bany  thing  to  say  of  it,  now  !" 

"  Si,  Missee  Heety  !  Me  know  Londres  one  grand,  superbo 
citee  !  But  Habana  me  home  !  Me  love  me  home,  me  warm 
sky,  me  green  trees,  me  pretty  sing  bird,  me  sweet  fruit ! 
Ebery  body  lovee  he  home  !" 

"That's  true.  Master  Pedro!  I  don't  like  you  hany  less 
for  loving  your  'ome !  Hit  shows  your  'cart 's  in  the  right 
place !" 

"  My  heart  den  is  buried  in  your  heart,  Missee  Heety !  All, 
me  lovee  you  berry  too  mUsh  and  great  deal  more  !  I  fall  in 
love  wid  you  pretty  eye — ^j'ou  look  so  haandsome  me  nebber 
help  lovee  you  all  me  life  !"  Here  Pedro  with  great  gallantry 
placed  his  small  brown  band  on  his  heart,  and  cast  his  dark, 
glittering  eyes  down  meekly  to  the  ground ;  for  be  bad  been 
long  nourishing  this  daring  passion  for  the  bewitching  maid, 
and  bad  only  this  hour  found  courage  to  confess  his  passion. 

Hetty  looked  at  her  swarthy  lover  with  amazement,  and  not 
without  a  spice  of  fear,  as  he  warmly  poured  out  his  passionatt? 
and  broken  words  of  devotion.     But  as  he  presumed  on  her 


siicncc 
of  la,u^ 

Hafricj 

upon  y 

civil,  r 

descenc 

hall  th 

meant, 

because 

these  W( 

pretty  i 

from  he; 

stood  pe 

she  pou] 

this  act, 

almost  n 

veiled  la; 

forget-mc 

but  rema 

"Pedr 

The  wo 

She  felt  t 

grew  pale 

of  one  of 

l^ut  Ilettj 

as  beauty, 

degraded  1 

every  worn 

a  shive,     J 

highest  am 

The  Cre 

across  his  € 

ther  look,  j 


poor 
0,1 


THE  FRIGATE  IN  THE   OPPTno  39 

civil,  .aster  Pod.^  B,LTa^    ,;  !,?r«st  ^  f  f '  ^'^ 
descend  to  be  your  wife  '  If  r  M  1  '"''  ^  ^""^^ 

tall  them  bu/ehes  7  Jse  and  fortr"'  "  ' '"  """'  "'^' 
meant,  IM  .tamped  on  '  L  b„for?T  """T'^  ^™  ^^'"  »" 
becausel'mMissMarlrid  I  ,*T  '" '  ^™  ""'"■' 
tl-e  words,  which  ZT^;!i:\'l^''' "^ ^^ '"  ^''^ 
pretty  mouth  from  which  2Tf  n  ^  ''"''"™<"»^o  'itt  the 
fiom  her  hair,  andfl™'  u  1^/  "'  1  ^"^  "  ''"'•^''  «™- 
stood  perfect];  quiet  and   ilTJ  "K'  ^'^     ^'"^"''  »'"' 

she  po'ured  t/esT   L^i  '    .^  TnTu''  "  "  ^"'*"^' '"'"« 
this  act,  than  Lis  eyes  whwlTt        "'"'''  ""  ™''°"  «"'' 

almost  murderous  I  Zr^,         '"  ^""'^""g  "^^*  »»<1 
veiled  lashes    and  ,7'  *"''''*''''<'  »"='°<"-«  beneath  their  half. 

for.It-me  not'  and  f"""'^  "'''™'  ''^  '""g'"  "P  '-bo  flower,  a 

^^f::^:ti^^:^'"''  "^  "-^  "^  ^^id  in  w, 

"Pedro  will  remember  thee  '" 

grew  pale,  and  she  was  conscious  thit  «!,„  i,.j       , 
or  one  of  whose  ill-wiU  it  Z^,  ^  '"'"'°  '"'™<""y 

But  Hetty  was  wayw!  d  nd  :^lfu  T,""-.?  '^  ""'  *J°°'- 
-  beauty,  felt  that  the  confe!  „ 'of  IT  T  "r'  '"'' 
Jogradcd  her  to  his  own  leve  2  ,1  '^^  ,^'"'^''  ""^  """l 
every  woman  i,  f.„l  ,      '  '^  """^  >'•"■  *°  'e"™  'bat 

a  slave      If  .      1    ^  ''O'-Pl'mented  by  the  admiration  eyen  of 


i'" 


■^ 


I 


40 


NORVEL   HASTINGS  J   OR, 


was  already  getting  to  bo  indistinctly  outlined  in  the  advan- 
cing twilight. 

Mary  Fielding  had  been  some  paces  in  advance  of  the  ill- 
matched  pair,  too  bucily  occupied  in  observing  the  movements 
of  the  frigate,  on  board  of  which  her  eyes  were  attracted  by 
several  lights  moving  to  and  fro.  These  were  the  battle-lau- 
tcrns  gleaming  through  the  port-holes,  and  usually  lighted  at 
sunset :  but  to  her  they  seemed  to  precursor  some  new  move- 
ment. Ilcr  fears  had  been  excited  from  the  moment  sl;e 
learned  tho  nation  of  the  tstranger-sh  ip ;  and,  like  a  true 
American  girl,  she  felt  apprehensive  of  mischief  to  some  of 
her  countrymen  on  the  coast,  or,  perhaps,  to  her  fatiior. 
Hetty  now  approached  her  in  ill-humour,  and  in  some  fear. 

"  Miss  Mary,  the  presuming  fool,  Pedro " 

"Well,  what  of  Pedro?" 
\    "  He  has  dared  to  fall  in  love  with  me,  he  'as  !" 

"  Well,  that  is  not  anything  to  be  so  very  angry  about. 
I  should  think  he  would !  Doubtless  he  has  never  seen  such 
rosy  cheeks  in  his  land  !" 

"  But  they  are  not  for  him  to  cull  or  wear;  and  I  hup  and 
told  him  so ;  hand- 


>> 


a 


yVell,  that  was  plain  'enough !  I  hope  he  understood 
you  ?"  said  Mary,  smiling. 

"  I  'm  afraid  of  'im  now.  Miss  Mary !  You  should  'ave 
seen  'ow  he  looked  hout  o'  'is  heyes,  just  for  hall  the  vorld  like 
the  Lonnon  tiger,  sixpenny  a  sight,  in  the  Tower  I  It  made 
me  shudder!  I'm  afraid  of  him;  and  he  threatened  to  re- 
member me !" 

"  You  must  have  given  him  some  encouragement.  Pedro 
is  quiet,  and  docile,  and  faithful.  You  should  not  have  an- 
gered him !" 

"  I  never  hencouraged  him  hin  the  least  bit !  It 's  hall  of 
takin'  roses  from  him,  and  a  little  red-bird  he  caught  for  mc : 
and  one  dav  ho  sun^ 


ave 


THE   FRIGATE   IN   THE   OPPINO. 

^,.""°.^°"  '■™°""^'='  ""y  of  fto  words  of  tho  song?"  a»ked 
M.S  F,eld,.g  witl.  an  arch  smile;  "f„,  I  overheard  him 
Chan  >ng  something  for  you  one  day  that  sounded  very  like  a 
true  love  song  I"  ^ 

"Oh  dear  me  !  I  Lopes  not !  But  'ow  should  poor  me  tell 
wha  the  dreadful  man  might  say,  when  I  don't  know  one 
won.  0  the  furrin  gibberish.  I  remembers  some  o'  tho 
words  was — 

'  Yo  te  amard,  yo  te  amare, 
Mia  cara,  mia  cara,  criada.'  " 

On  hearing  these  words  repeated  witli  Hetty's  strong  cock- 
ney  accent,  Miss  Fielding  laughed  for  a  moment  in  the  live- 
host  manner. 

"Why,  Hetty,  you  have  made  poor  Pedro  believe  you  aro 
enamoured  with  him  V 
"  Oh,  dears  mercy !" 
"  The  words  of  that  song  are,  put  into  round  English— 

'  I  love  thee,  I  love  thee, 
My  sweet  pretty  maid ; 
Thy  hand  in  nay  hand, 
To  the  plaintain'n  shade. 
Together  we  '11  fly 
To  the  sunny  south  sky, 
And  dwell  mid  the  flowers, 
Of  dark  orange  bowers, 
Where — 


-' }) 


"  Oh,  Miss  Mary !  oh,  mistress  I  you  have  frightened  me  to 
death  I"  cried  Hetty,  interrupting  her  with  a  shriek.  "'Ow 
did  I  know  ?   'Ow  did  I  know  vat  vas  in  the  'orrid  song?" 

"  It  IS  dangerous  to  ask  a  foreigner  te  sing  to  us  a  song  iu 
his  own  tongue  unless  we  comprehend  it,  Hetty,"  said  Miss 
"""  smui 


^ 


ip^ff 


Jiumg, 


iiug. 


4* 


m  i  I 


42 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;    OR, 


M 


[I     I 

ilil 


11 


I 


"  What  shall  I  do  ?  And  I  hasked  him  to  sing  it  hover 
more  than  four  times  one  day !  hand  hall  this  while  he  vos 
ha-making  love  to  me,  hand  I  vas  hinnocent  has  the  babe 
hunborn  !  Do,  Miss  Mary,  tell  him  'ow  it  vos !" 
"I'll  make  it  all  up,  Hetty.  Don't  be  terrified  !" 
"But  somebody,  it  vos  Dirk  Harder,  said  he'd  just  has 
leves  kill  hanybody  has  heat  a  happle  if  he  vos  mad  against 


'em !" 


"  Do  not  fear,  Hetty.  Pedro  is  not  so  bad,  I  dare  say,  as 
they  would  have  you  think  he  is.     Do  you  see  that  boat  ?" 

"  What  one.  Miss  Mary  !  I  can't  sec  any  for  tears  in  my 
eyes.     Now  I  see  it !" 

"  Isn't  it  running  seaward,  or  is  it  coming  in  ?" 

"  It  is  steering  from  the  Beacon  'cad  straight  for  the  frigate, 
as  veil  as  I  can  see !" 

,    "  So  I  thought !  Did  not  father  s&y  that  he  saw  Dirk  Har- 
der in  the  boat  going  down  the  bay  shore  ?" 

"Yes!" 

"  And  that  is  Dirk  Harder's  boat  now  got  outside,  and  is 
running  for  the  frigate,  I  am  convinced,  while  all  other  craft 
are  flying  from  her.  There  is  mischief  in  this  errand  that 
way;  Hetty!" 

"Mistress?" 

"  I  have  a  message  that  will  please  you  !  Forget  all  about 
Pedro,  and  think  and  act  for  me  !  Go  to  the  rock  cottage  and 
send  William  to  me !  If  he  has  not  yet  come  in  from  fishing, 
tell  his  mother  to  bid  him  hasten  to  me  as  soon  as  he  comes 
home  I" 

"  I  don't  thi.nk  he  is  'ome,  because " 

"  — Because  ho  would  have  been  by  your  side,  hey  !" 

"  Ho  did  promise  to  see  me  this  evening.  Miss  Mary,"  she 
answered  demurely. 

"Then  don't  speak  to  him  of  cither  '^f  your  lovers,  David 
or  Pedro  I" 


THE  PRIOATE   IN  THE   OPPINa.  43 

"Now  you  make  merry  bon  me,  Miss  Marv      B,,,  t m 
10  the  eottege  and  soon  be  back-   for  i,\,  u  "  «" 

shortly  for  me  to  fed  my  way  f  llj!'.-"  ""  "^  '»»  "-" 

"AndifWiUiam  is  not  there  vouwnlh, 
Hetty,"  said  her  beautiful  m.^tress  r  1       "^"  °°'  """""' 
the  direetion  of  the  uott,«T ',,;'"'"*  "PP"'''''''"' 

already  deseribed  in  be  Snjfl'r"'""'  "   ^'^   ""^^^ 
rather  bung  mid-way  the  dW     " ,        ■     '^'  "''  ""■"'"'''  "'• 

from  the  verge  abo™  or  froll'h        "^      ^  "'  ""'^'^  ''"'- 

Its  distance  L„        vll!  was  abouTr  *  ^f'  ''^"""■• 

ti.o  top  of  the  bluff,  which  ben  rL:::::!!  T  ''r- 

Jwdling,  so  as  to  place  it  in  full  v!w  „f  M  °"'''"'"K  "'« 

opposite  to  it.  ""  "^  ""=  ^'"^'  ""d  nearly 

lletty  moved  along  the  cliff.path  with  the  sten  of  ,  I 
auJ  soon  reached  the  .tairdike%oeks  thaUe    e^ed  toT' 

::":r«frieeb^  "'-'r'  -^  ^'- '■-''-« 

tl.c  beacon's  ruins  ft™    h!  '^'''""'/"e'""'  J™' '"  be  seen  over 

>lown  the  wen    now:  teps  H;  M  -T  T  """'  """""'"^ 
tbe  door  of  the  cot      T  "■"'  "''°  ""^  '•«»«l'ed 

little  c  cfney  nto  a  Ir-r''  ""^  "  "«'"  P^''  '«'  "«-• 
uLMjty  into  a  neat  sitting-room  with  wliJf^        i  • 

f""gcd,  a  dresser  of  shining  crockerv  anil  ,  "'?.""'"'"' 

111  such  a  dwellinir     Th„  fl  ''°  "^P^'ed 

souring,  and  the  sniri,  if      T  ""'  "'  "■■""  ^  "»<"'  "'"' 

Tlie  winiows  lookeT  o       ""^    "?  """^  '"omefulness  reigned. 
W.UUOWS  lookea  down  upon  the  calm  bav  .„A  ;.,  „?.  .<. 

were 


A I 


t'f  which  welcom(Hl 


iictiy  with  a  merry  burst 


pair  of  Canary  birdw,  ono 


of 


song. 


44 


NORVEL  HASTINGS  J   OR, 


ij'i 


!pl| 


i 


li    t     !■' 


"It  is  Hetty,  I  knew,  for  Frank  always  sings  for  you  and 
liliss  Mary,  but  your  step  is  quicker  than  herS;  and  1  was  sure 
it  must  be  you,  child.     How  do  you  do,  and  Miss  Mary?" 

These  words,  in  a  pleasant  yoice,  were  spoken  by  some  one 
in  an  inner  room,  who  now  made  her  appearance,  as  neat  and 
lady-like  in  person  as  the  inside  of  her  cottage  promised. 

«  We  are  hall  well,  Mrs.  Gardner,  but  'alf  frightened  to 
death  hat  the  frigate-o'-war  and  the  'orrid  firin'.  But  master 
scs  it's  ha  Henglish  ship,  hand  so  you  sees  we  needn't  fear 
nothin'.  Hif  hit  'ad  been  one  hof  the  orful  Yankees,  I  should 
ha  died  with  fright  j  forthey  do  say  the  'Mericans  heats  their 
prisoners  !     Vot  'orrid  wretches !" 

"I  am  sorry,  Hetty,  you  dislike  us  so !  But  if  the  ship  is 
English,  we  arc  in  more  danger  than  if  she  were  American. 
Oni  of  our  country  vessels  would  protect  rather  than  harm 
us.    I  heard  the  firing,  and  sent  Pipa  over  the  hill  to  see  what 

it  was." 

"  Where  is— is— I  mean  to  say.  Miss  Mary  wants  to  see 

Villiam  particularly,  Mrs.  Gardner."     And  Hetty  smoothed 

down  her  silk  apron,  and  looked  as  if  she,  herself,  did  not 

want  to  see  William  at  all ;  as  if  William  was  the  most  indif- 

ferent  person  to  her  in  the  world.     Mrs.  Gardner  smiled 

quietly,  for  she  knew  that  William  and  Hetty  liked  one  ano- 

the/,  for  the  former  had  made  his  mother  confidant  of  bis 

attachment  to  the  pretty  English  girlj  and  although  Mrs, 

Gardner  did  not  oppose  it,  she  advised  her  son  to  wait  and  not 

bo  too  hasty,  for  he  might  seo  other  lassies  in  the  world  lie 

would  love  better  than  ho  did  Hetty;  but  William's  passion 

was  too  profound  and  fixed  to  '  o  swayed,  and  so  she  yielded 

her  discretion  to  his  happiness.  .  As  for  Hetty,  she  was  a  great 

favourite  at  all  times  with  Mrs.  Gardner,  who  liked  her  for  her 

mirthfulness,  good-nature  (always  saving  Pedro  not  dcclarini: 

lovo  to  her),  and  her  hundred  little  ways  to  please  and  mah 

herself  useful,  and  so  lighten  hor  own  labours. 


THE   FRIGATE    IN   THE   OFFING.  4", 

Mrs.  Gardner  was  a  widow  of  one  of  that  class  of  hardy 
men  on  the  coast  of  Maine,  who  farm  in  winter  and  take  to 
the  sea  in  summer.     He  was  an  honest,  brave,  Industrious 
man,  owned  his  own  sloop,  witn  which  he  used  to  ran  between 
tne  adjacent  towns  to  Boston,  taking  as  freight  lumber,  corn 
and  apples,  and  returning  with  goods.     His  son  William   a 
bold,  skilful  sailor,  was  his  second  in  command  ere  he  was 'in 
his  eighteenth  year;  and  there  was  another  and  elder  one  (an 
adopted  son,  who  is  yet  to  come  upon  the  stage),  who,  c-aincd 
to  the  sea,  had  at  twenty  commanded  a  trading  schooner  in  the 
.■service  of  Mr.  Fielding. 

Three  years  before  the  time  of  our  story,  Captain  Gardner 
had  been  shipwrecked  in  sight  of  the  beacon ;  and,  althougli 
Wilham  made  almost  superhuman  efforts  to  save  his  fiither 
yet  he  was  unsuccessful,  and  only  saved  himself  by  the  daring 
and  skill  of  his  adopted  brother,  Norvel  Hastings,  who  had 
seen  the  wreck  from  the  land,  and  perilled  his  life  to  rescue 
those  on  board. 

Since  the  death  of  his  ftither,  William  had  not  left  his 
widowed  mother  save  for  a  day  or  two  at  the  time  to  go  off 
fishing,  or  to  run  to  Wiscasset  or  Bath  in  the  Kennebec  with 
and  for  small  freights,  in  a  little  two-masted  xebec  which 
lie  by  Norvcl's  aid,  with  their  united  earnings,  had  pur- 
chased. • 

"William  has  not  yet  come  in,  Hetty.  He  went  out  this 
morning  after  mackerel,  and  I  saw  his  vessel  at  noon  full  eight 
miles  to  the  south.  I  dare  say  hv3  has  lingered  to  see  the  ship- 
(»f-war  pass !" 

"Boars  mo,  Mrs.  Gardner,  it  didn't  pass,  b-  i  stops  stock 
still  hout  on  the  hocean,  not  more  than  four  miles  hoff  from 
the  Cliff  'Ead  !  I  hope  they  wouldn't  take  him  prisoner,  oh. 
if  they  should  1"  ' 

Mrs.  Gardner's  cheek  imlnd  ni  th\a  ♦lin««T,* .  i.,.i  u j 

sense  returned  to  her  comfort,  and  she  replie.l,  calmly, 


m 


fill 


40 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;    OR, 


'1 '  j ' 


I 


"  Ships  o'"  war  would  hardly  trouble  themselves  about  a 
fishing-boat,  Hetty  1" 

"  But  I  heard  master  say  the  war  was  brought  hon  because 
the  Hcnglish  King  would  'avc  sailors  hout  of  JIamerican  ves- 
sels, hand  the  Ilamericans  'ave  made  this  war  bout  it.  Per- 
haps the  frigate  might  s^-^p  Villiam  and  make  him  a  sailor- 
aud  then,  and  then,  oh "  -  ■ 

«  Don't  be  distressed,  dear  child  !  Heaven  will  protect  him. 
William  is  prudent,  and  would  not  go  into  danger.  Let  us  go 
up  the  cliff  and  try  and  see  if  be  is  in  sight  1" 

"  Here's  Pipa  1  Oh,  Pipa  !  good  Pipa  I  did  you  see  Mister 
ViUiam's  xebec  ?"  exclaimed  Hetty,  with  the  rapid  questioning 
her  fears  gave  impulse  to. 

"Did  you  go  to  the  Beacon,  Pipa?"  asked  Mrs.  Gardner, 

more  composedly. 

The  third  person  they  thus  addressed  was  a  small,  under- 
grown  negro  lad,  with  a  monstrously  large  head,  a  slender 
neck,  narrow  shoulders,  long,  apish  arms  and  hands,  knoclc- 
kneed  lower  limbs,  and  feet  like  an  ourang  outang's  for  length 
and  flatness.     He  was  dressed  in  a  boyish  suit  of  bright  red 
flannel,  for  nothing  else  would  he  wear,  but  would  tear  in 
pieces  nny  other  colour  with  which  his  young  master,  Norvcl, 
invested  him.     He  was  bare-headed  and  bare-footed,  wore  huge 
circles  of  gold  in  his  ears,  and  on  each  of  his  wrists  were  two 
silver  bracelets.     His  spine  was  slightly  curved,  which  lowered 
his  height,  and  gave  him  a  stoop  forward.     His  head  was  the 
most  remarkable  part  of  the  little  monster,  as  it  ought  to  have 
been.     Twice  too  large  for  his  body,  it  was  a  giant's  in  appear- 
Rnce.     The  top  was  bald  and  glistening,  but  about  the  ears 
the  hair  was  long,  and  bushy,  and  coarse  as  wire.     His  earn 
were  diminutive  and  hairy,  his  brow  high  and  smooth  and 
intellectual,  but  his  eyebrows  were  arched  and  thick,  and  were 
the  base  of  a  Jewish  Roman  nose  largo  and  strong,  and  hi;' 
eyes  were  oriental,  Chinese  more  than  African.     His  laouiu 


■  i^'i^'-^^ii^i^^M^^'S^i^&^iMM.-ir-i.: 


THE  mraATE  in  the  omso.  4- 

wa.  large  and  hideous,  and  soo,ued  to  be  made  like  a  brnteJ 
Saer-"'^  tba.  for  U,.„«.     Tbe  co  W^l^ 

qs.nd.ng  before  be.  eroded  bisbtnd  on  bir:;:^Lt:: 
"Pipa   grad  tlico  prottle  Ilcttle !     Prettle  ITnffl.  i  •  i 

of  l.i.«,  though  she  know  bifn  to  be      „!  1  ;  ,  ??'^\' 
po.™,„ing  with  all  kindne.  and  aff^    'n  lo  'cM 
longed  love  m  spite  of  his  almost  terrific  deformkv    1     ? 
»ul  ,vill  speak  and  declare  its  beauty  even  if  it?"  ■" 

;-^  iu  a  brute,  form;  and  tbr'^'enTl    ef/ LdT:?:;" 
J''l>a  s  mner  spirit  shone  through  his  cell  of  9o2       7< . 
-■■ittcd  from  the  most  pestilent  fens  "''"'  "^  ''«'"  '^ 

"Ididn'tbringanyroscsforvouto-dav  Pim      u 
J"st  come  from  tho  cliff?"  ^'    *^'     ""^  J'"" 

••%.    I'ipa'lieobiggathip— firobiifffair,,,,!    Ti,-        1 
'-  bigga  gun  at  little  tbip  Jittle  tb^^/"    '    ^'"''  """'"'' 

'•«ia;:uro:kt"viSnt;i!>"-'"'-«"^- 
^-ttij^dtsr-^t::-"'""^^""''^--^" 

"Sm  '™,,^,"'""''^  •"""'  ^'P>^"  "»'■«''  Hetty, 
■n   tl     ;         '"'  "^^  ^'^  '""'"^  --  f"""  1--C.    Ho 


:r-:^«  ""''-."' ^'««V«---iP^  1.0  den  thin 


way  to  it.,  dea  he  tl: 


<'»«fer  for  to  coraeo  in  de  B 


"toppeo  J  ,ifii  ho  put  up  him  hen 

1  <1«  Tl..„  >; 


leetl 


o 


uy 


n,  an' 


mil 


48 


NORVEL  HASTINGS;   OB, 


"Then  ho  will  be  hero  soon.  Stay  to  tea.  Hetty  and  you 
will  be  sure  to  see  him.  Pipa,  make  the  fire  for  Master  Wil- 
liam's supper." 

The  dwarf,  with  his  characteristic  docility,  went  out,  and 
brought  in  a  few  pieces  of  kindling-wood,  and  laid  them,  with 
great  care,  acrosB  each  other  upon  the  hearth,  struck  a  light 
with  a  tinder-box  apparatus,  and  proceeded  to  blow  up  the  fire. 

"I  can't  stay,  Mrs.  Gardner,  indeed  I  can't.  Miss  Mary 
is  halone  hon  the  cliff,  and  it  is  getting  so  late  that  I  am 
hafraid  hif  tliat  wicked  l^edro  should  meet  me ;  for,  because 
I  won't  let  him  fall  in  love  with  me,  he  shakes  'is  'ead,  hand 
mutters  things  ha  gainst  me  !" 

"  Pedro  won't  harm  you,  Hetty." 

"  Pipa  killec  brackee  Pedro— ^illee  dead.  He  burtee 
prettle  Hettlel'^  exclaimed  the  dwarf,  rising  to  his  feet. 
"  Pipa  lovee  Hettlo  much  deal  I" 

''There's  hanother!"  cried  out  the  pretty  maid,  in  a  tone 
of  absolute  affright  and  loss  of  patience.  "  Hif  Pipa  goes  to 
fall  in  love  with  me,  I'll  take  laudanum,  hand  die  hat  once. 
Oh,  you  monster — you  ugly,  black  bear  !" 

"Pipa  thorry  Hettle  make  angry.  Goodeo  Hettle,  poor 
Pipa  I     Pipa  kissee  you  shoe  !" 

"  Oh,  Mrs.  Gardner,  keep  him  from  me  I" 

"  Hetty,  you  are  foolish.  Pipa  is  as  harmles'?  as  a  kitten. 
He  did  not  mean  he  loved  you  as  Pedro  does ;  only  he  ex- 
pressed, in  his  poor  and  few  words,  his  devotion  to  you.  He 
would  not  cru.ih  a  spider.  He  seems  to  love,  and  cherisli, 
and  bo  delighted  with  everything  that  has  life.  The  very 
sheep  come  up  and  lick  his  hand,  and  the  cow  will  let  him 
hang  about  her  neck,  and  rub  her  head  against  his.  If  bo 
rpens  the  cage  and  whistles,  the  canaries  will  fly  out  and  light 
on  his  shoulders,  and  sing  in  his  ear  their  prettiest  songs.  He 
can't  talk  our  langungo  well,  and  uses  but  few  words;  but 
Norvcl,  who  knows  his  native  tongue,  t 


Spanish,  say! 


...v^.-fc, 


THE   FRIGATE    IN   THE   OPPING.  49 

spcalvs^  in  that  beautifully  and  fluently,  and  all  he  says  i,s 
rich  with  noble  and  excellent  thoughts. 

^' I  know  he  is  good;  but  I  can't  himagino  what  Master 
Norvcl,  such  a  'andsome  young  gentleman  lias  'c  is  too,  if  he 
is^a  poor  coaster,  could  'aye  brought  him  from  the  Hinjees 

"Grat'.ude  and  humanify  were  the  motives,  Hetty  When 
four  years  ago  Norvel  was  in  Cuba  with  his  vessel,  getting 
Ireight  to  bring  home,  he  was  on  shore  and  saw  this  poor  Pipa 
(wlio  had  now  gone  out  for  more  wood)  in  the  hands  of  the 
people,  who.  were  about  to  burn  him  at  a  stake  for  a  wizard 
Norvel  learning  that  he  had  done  no  harm,  and  having  three 
of  his  sailors  with  him,  he  rescued  him  and  took  him  on  board 
his  vessel." 

"Mister  Norvel  is  so  brave  always." 

'^JJrave  and  just.  Now  see  the  reward  of  his  humanity 
The  dwarf  informed  him  that,  as  he  lay  hid  in  a  cave  whcro 
ho  mostly  dwelt,  three  days  before,  he  had  overheard  some 
buccaneers  forming  a  plan  to  take  and  rob  his  richly  laden 
vessel,  and  that  very  night  was  set  for  it;  and  that  "he  had 
boon  seized  by  the  populace  on  his  way  to  convey  intelligence 
of  it  to  Norvel" 

"  Then  he  *ad  seen  Mister  Norvel  before  ?" 

^  "  x\o.     His  own  goodness  led  him  to  wish  to  save  the  vessel. 

So  the  people  seeing  him  abroad  raised  a  hue  and  cry,  and 

would  have  burned  him  if  Norvel  had  not  rescued  him;  and 

sure  enough,  that  very  niglit,  the  robbers  came  off  in  three 

boats  ^to  plunder  Wva,  but,  taking  advantage  of  the  informa- 

tion  ]^ipa  gave  him,  he  set  sail  soon  as  it  was  dark;  but  with 

biH  glass,  as  1-  lay-to  three  miles  off,  he  could  see  into  the 

nort  and  d.scovor  the  long  black  boats  full  of  buccaneers  row- 

ing  about  as  if  in  perplexity.     Norvel  brought  Pipa  home  and 

has  never  rp"^^'"^^'^ri  {*■      Ti'A i    i-_  .•_  ,^        «  . 

.1.1    !rf_..i,,.,j  1^..       Jiiaccu,  m;  i;s  nO  USeiUi— •" 

Hero  the  dwarf  re-entered,  and  Hetty  rose  to  go. 


r 

III 


r 


50 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


"It  is  quite  dark,  Hetty  r 

"  Then  I  must  run  the  faster !  Tell  William  to  come  straight 
to  Miss  Mary  soou  as  he  gets  in  I" 

"  I  will;  but  he  will  regret  he  did  not  hco  you  hero  himself. 
It  is  late  for  him  to  stay." 

"  When  Pipa  thee  heo  Mather  Villy  heo  tree  mile  off,  it 
takee  niosty  half  hour  moree  to  getee  homee/'  said  the  dwarf. 
"  De  windy  fair.     Heo  come  by-bye  I" 

"Good  night,  Mrs.  Gardner." 

"  Good  night,  dear  Hetty.     I  will  send  him  at  once." 

"  When  do  you  expect  Master  Norvel  ?"  she  asked,  linger- 
ing a  moment  in  the  door. 

"  He  should  be  here  to-morrow  or  next  day,  as  he  has  been 
absent  eight  days,  and  he  has  sometimes  been  up  to  Boston 
and  back  in  nine  1  I  feel  anxious  about  him,  with  hostile  war- 
ships on  the  sea !" 

"  You  may  M-ell,  Mrs.  Gardner.  I  know  one  as  is  werry 
perticular  hanxi.js,"  added  the  little  maid  significantly. 

Mrs.  Gardner  softly  shook  her  head:  "I  understand  you, 
Hetty ;  but  there  is  no  need  for  me  to  look  in  that  quarter 
with  an  eye  of  hope  for  my  noble  Norvel.  We  are  humble, 
William  looks  no  higher  than  yourself  (though  you  are  very 
good  and  suitable  for  him),  how  then  should  the  lady  Mary 
look  towards  my  adopted  boy  ?" 

"Norvel  loves  her  with  all  his  'eart,  Mrs.  Gardner,  I  know 
that  better  than  you  do,  perhaps  ?" 

"  Yes ;  the  poor  man  may  look  upon  the  sun  I  but  it  will 
ever  be  out  of  his  reach.  Miss  Mary  is  my  kind  friend,  aud 
I  love  and  honour  her,  and  believe  she  is  the  best  and  noblest 
of  women.  But  she  will  mate  with  her  own !  Norvel  has 
never  spoken  to  me  of  his  daring  love,  but  I  have  seen  it 
sparkle  in  his  eye,  glow  in  his  clieek,  tremble  on  his  lip,  when 
in  her  presence ;  and  I  have  pitied  him,  for  I  knew  such  high 
love  would  end  in  disappointment.     It  is  not  possible  she  can 


e  straight 

)  himself. 

die  off,  it 
he  dwarf. 

CO.'* 

d,  linger- 

has  been 
;o  Boston 
stiie  war- 
is  werry 
itly. 

Land  you, 
t  quarter 
I  humble, 
are  very 
idy  Mary 

:,  I  know 


THE  FRIGATE   IN  THE  OrFINU.  51 

h^ve  been  aware  of  his  passion,  or  she  would  not  visit  me  as 
.he  does,  so  often  and  so  frankly.     If  she  knew  it,  I  shZ 
see  her  resentment  expressed  in  her  manner  ani  abs  no 
S  e  was  here  only  this  morning,  and  her  visit  was  so  swe    * 
She  earnes  sunshme  wherever  she  goes.     Poor  Norvel !'' 

Master  Nerval  need  not  despair,  Mistress.     I  think  Miss 
..ry  knows  he  loves  her,  and  is  not  hangry  at  it.     P^ 
ovc,  hand  houghtn't  I  to  know  what  lovefsf  Veil  I  kZ 
y  her  way«  she's  in  love  with  Master  Norvel,  or  somZ" 
hclse  !  And  I  guess  toho  it  is  \"  ^ 

With  these  words  Hetty  hurried  away,  and  disappeared 
rapidly  over  the  top  of  the  elifF  on  her  way'to  rejoin  1  ^^ 
-ress,  upon  the  saered  seerets  of  whose  hear  she  hJbe  n 
BO  positively  passmg  her  judgment:  with  what  aecuracy  ho 
reader  will  know  in  duo  time.  '^^uracy,  t/io 


I 


u 


Jl 


lit  it  will 
iend,  aud 
d  noblest 
)rvcl  has 
\i  secu  it 
lip,  when 
uch  high 
e  she  can 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OB, 


ClIArTER  V. 

Perhaps  the  reader  is  pretty  well  assured  that  this  chapter 
will  briug  him  into  the  dark  and  star-lit  inlet  with  a  descrip- 
tion of  which  our  story  opened,  and  that  he  is  now  about  to 
follow  the  adventures  of  the  two  mysterious  personages  in  the 
boat  which  was  creeping  so  stealthily  up  the  little  river  under 
the  blackness  of  the  darkness  of  its  over-arching  branches. 
But  it  is  not  a  part  of  the  arrangement  of  our  story  to  briug  in 
the  continuation  of  that  scene  at  present;  as  we  have  first  to 
do  with  other  persons  and  other  scenes,  whose  adventures, 
circumstances,  and  positions  with  relation  to  each  other  have  a 
direct  bearing  upon  the  movements  of  the  two  men  in  the  boat. 
We  shall,  therefore,  now  take  our  readers  on  board  a  small 
vessel  which  since  the  sunset  has  been  in  sight  from  the  Bea- 
con, and  which  Pipa  pronounced  to  be  Master  Willy's  fishing- 
boat.     As  the  dwarf  had  said,  the  little  lateen  rigged  craft  had 
been  steadily  making  for  the  entrance  of  the  bay,  when  it 
suddenly  luflFed  d  lay  perfectly  still  upon  the  water.    It 

then  filled  away  aj^cv.ii,  and  after  running  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
nearer  the  frigate,  came  to  the  wind,  and  again  remained  sta- 
tionary. 

The  boat  we  will  now  take  the  reader  on  board  of.  You 
see  that  it  is  a  small,  but  well  built  little  craft,  with  two  masts 
u+/>«n  »«io-<Tro<i  •  fnr  WiUiaTn  frardner  had  once  made  a  vovage 
to  the  West  Indies,  and  had  rigged  his  fishing  vessel  after  the 


fashion 

huge  leg 

mainsail 

The  colo 

has  a  ha] 

in  a  rain 

Twop 

well-buili 

about  hi) 

face  good' 

tarpaulin^ 

lanyard  o 

trowsers  ( 

stuck  a  se 

fastened  i: 

upon  the 

ring;  Avhi 

pretty  Hei 

his  wrist ; 

weeping  o^ 

taste  and 

favour  with 

ner,  for  su 

young  skij 

perha^.^  bi 

and  loveab 

hopinion  of 

she  showed 

was  without 

I  the  snaggle- 

tory  swains 

The  other 

I  seventeen,  i] 

|sockets,  and 

6* 


I'UE  raiuATE  IN  THE  omm.  53 

Mion  of  tho  luggers  ho  had  seen  in  the  south  seas.     The 
huge  log  of  anuttoa  fore-sail  is  now  brailed  up,  and  the  j.b  and 
mainsa.1  only  s,t,  the  former  filled  abaek  to  keep  her  ste  Jv 
The  eolour  of  the  lugger  i,  blaek  outside  and  red  in  ice      [i 
has  aWf-doeked  fore-cuddie  large  enough  to  hold  tr^lon: 

Two  persons  only  arc  on  board.  One  of  theso  is  a  stout 
well-b„.  t  young  man  of  twenty,  with  long  light  locks  bl  wiu« 
about  h,s  browned  choek.  His  eye  is  a  clear  blue,  and  h"! 
ace  good-looking  and  has  pleasing  features.  He  weai  a  straw 
trpauhn  pamted  red,  and  listened  to  his  jacket  button  b^I 
anyard  of  spun-yarn.  His  jacket  is  blue  checked  linen,  L! 
t  owsers  duek,  and  secured  by  a  leathern  belt  m  which  s 
stuck  a  scrvaecable  knife  in  a  sheath.     His  checked  sh,>t  L 

™»1  '°     °  ^™»  "«'  -  "-W  P-cing  two  hearts/and 

upon  the  httle  finger  of  his  left  hand  is  a  thick,  plain  gold 

...g;  wh, le  a  bracelet  of  hair,  that  looked  ezaetly  liko^tho 

retty  Hetty's,  was  neatly  tied  with  a  true  love  knot  aboul 

1"3  wnst;  on  which  were  devices  of  a  foul  anchor,  a  iml 

Hzzrzn  -""f  d-"  T" "' '"""'  -""^ "  ^"P'  ^»-  ^^ 

taste  .vnd  sk.ll  m  India  mk-a  species  of  tatooing  much  in 
favour  w.th  ecrtam  sea-going  folk.  Altogether,  William  Gard- 
uer,  for  such  is  the  person  wo  are  describing,  was  a  dashing 

Z!  'tf'  T',  'r"' '" ''"  ™^' »"  -»«-5 

Zr  M  "'"''•''  *  '''''^'  ^^"f"''  g^erons-hearted 

nd  loveable  young  sailor;   at  least  such  was  the  private 

opinion  of  the  'andsomo  little  cockney  maid;  and  certain  J 

J.C  showed  good  taste  m  the  selection  of  her  lover;  for  William 

I  ws  without  question  worth  five  hundred  of  David  Cracklewood 

to  snaggle-toothed  old  manager,  and  a  ship  load  of  such  ama! 

t»>7  wains  as  the  glittering-eyed,  song-chanting  Pedro 

LlT,  °"'",P<"'«™»g«  io  the  lugger  was  a  slim  youngling  cf 
seventeen,  ill  nut  toffether.  »»  if  i.i.  ;»:_. ..  ,  °    k 

io«»i.  1        ,    '         = '  —  '"  '""  j^'""'  wore  nea  in  thpir 

«kots,  »d  suffered  to  swing  ad  mUum.     He  was  m7^ 


f 


'I        • 

'I  J!« 


m 


i'i 


i 


mii 


64 


NORVEL  HASTINGS;   OR, 


feet  tall  as  lie  leaned  listlessly  and  in  an  ungainly  attitude 
against  the  fore-mast  j  and  if  he  had  stretched  himself  to  his 
full  uprightness,  he  would  have  stood  at  least  four  inches 
taller.  Across  the  shoulders  he  measured  a  boy's  breadth,  and 
his  face  was  that  of  a  beardless  lad,  as  in  fact  he  was.  His 
jacket  was  too  short,  and  is  jean  trowsers  left  half  his  naked 
and  bony  log  and  ankle  visible.  He  had  a  hand  like  Goliath 
of  Gath,  and  his  feet  were  encased  in  old  shoes  of  an  enor- 
nious  number.     He  was  chewing  spruce  gum. 

The  bottom  of  the  lugger  was  filled  with  mackerel,  with  a 
few  cod  and  halibut  mixed  with  them,  in  all  not  less  than  a 
hogshead  full ;  while  cod-lines  and  various  other  fishing-lines 
hung  about,  wound  on  their  frames  of  wood. 

"  Wal,  Master  Gardner,  I  kind  o'  guess  it  is  Dirk's  craft 
enny  how !  It 's  got  the  fore-sail  full  o'  patches,  snd  the  gaff 
is  jist  a  leetle  bit  shorter  nor  the  mp'o,  and  that 's  what  makes 
me  know  it's  him." 

"  It  is  very  odd  he  should  be  steering  dead  for  the  frigate, 
'Siah,  when  the  best  thing  to  do  is  to  give  her  a  wide  birth." 

"Perhaps  he's  gc'n'  to  sell  her  fish  I  Them  ar'  British 
officers  have  a  powerful  sight  o'  cash,  and  don't  mind  what 
they  buy  or  give !  I  'm  sort  o'  thinkin'  if  we  'd  run  under 
her  lee,  they  'd  give  us  plaguy  site  more  for  our  fish  thau 
they  're  worth !" 

"I  don't  want  to  sell  'em  for  more  than  they  are  wortli, 
'Siah  !  I  am  sure  that  is  Harder' s  boat ;  and  there  is  some- 
thing strange  in  his  coming  out  of  the  bay  and  steering  for 
the  frigate.  Let  us  keep  away  again,  and  see  if  he  boards 
her.     It  is  getting  so  dark  we  shall  lose  sight  of  his  course 

here !" 

« If  there 's  any  mischief  to  be  done,  or  enny  body  to  be 
harmed  by  his  goin'  out  to  her,  you  may  be  sartain  he  '11  be 
quick  on  the  heft  to  do  it.     I  never  seed  sich  a  tarnal  ugly 

.         -  -  .  1  t  ill     TV*     1_  Ti?     i1 1 ^u_     Anvil 

bad  critter  m  nxy  ooia  aays  ag  inai  x/ilsl.     xi  wii;  vyjiu  ^'■" 


aint  i 


surf  pnivk;, 


fgm 


I 


THE 


FKIOATE  IN  THE  OPPINO. 


.-»WS  '^::Z'r  -  --"O^-    HeCo..  „,e,o! 

^^I't?::'  tat-:::::  i  .tr-ir"  s  ?  ^"'^-"^^^"^  •• 

«  bad  fellow,  and  never  fEl    „  '  t'''"    ''°'' 

harmed  !.:»  !    He  took  care  toWror  "^^  •  ^  ""*' 

; Ho 's  a po.,.y ooward,  a.  enn'l?;  "rb:"""'- "" ''"'•" 
and  swears  so  orful  as  he  ^oe,     T '      i  *' " "'  "*«'! 

;^u.,d  arter  night  to  keep  CgoL  bfrf  ""^  ""  ^  ■»''" 
them  nine  shipwrecked  men  was T*  ^^         "'"'  «'"'=^  'hero 
"He  isn-t  ,      ,h  afrdd  „7  ;  n  '*"  ""^ ""^  B^^"""-" 

W  so  reekle.     ,ad  d  r  '    f  J  '.' "^  ^f ''  "^'''''*-     ^  ""^^ 
"I  guess  there '=  one  pt^n  hj'      '"  'f^  "'"''  *»  "l-'" 
marked  'Siah,  coiling  up  .[711*^1'^  *^''  °"  ' '  "• 
i"g  the  coil  on  a  pin!  """  '"''^*'<'«'  ""d  hang. 

"Wlioisthat,  Josiah?" 

"  Your  brother  Norvol  t     t  «t 

"P  by  the  nape  o'  Zneck  and'tb     "!•'  """  '»''«  "»  "'^ 
-  he  struck  old  Pipafor  n^Mu! ""  '"'"  --  «  »'»  wall, 

"Dirk  deserved  it.     I  j^re  say  he  doe,„',  vy     xr 
'""cb.    But  look  sharp  throud.  iZ  7         .       '''''  ^""'^l 
up  with  the  frigate!"  ®    *°  gloom-his  boat  is  close 

''  ^es,  and  running  nearer  I" 
He  goes  as  straight  to  her  as  i  W-^  i    iirL 
"«  is,  I  hope  they  will  Jl  I  ,     ^'"'""  ^^  fc""- 

yeu  see  her  now  V'  ^       ^""'  "'"'  "''  "^  "^  h™.    Can 

;;^ot  a  bit !  He 's  run  right  under  her  guns !" 
ihen  ho  means  to  board  her     Tl,o.    • 
o»t  of  that.     Let  «s  stand  in  ^       /    /'  ""•  «°'"^  ^  """^ 
Hetty  I  would  see  her      nitht    T    \  """"^ '    ^  ?">»•««<• 
Kt.    Give  a  pull  or  two  o'th      ^*"',*»«'' the  tack-more 
%  through  tL  wlrme",       T'^''"'''-    ^'^^'  ^»"  we 
"tone  „u  tie  Beacn  r.  ^'     ^""^  S™"""?  ""^  »"  Pi'e  of 
surf  .„„,:!  """"^  ""'"'  '»''«'•»  «P  against  the  skv !    .4..  ,". 

'"■'""''  ^  ""^  ''^-'•'  ^'■<1  '•ow  fine  it.  musfe  sound;-' 


i 


■i  i 


56 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


and  here  the  expectant  lover,  from  very  joy,  struck  up  the 
chorus  of  a  familiar  song : 

*«  A  sailor's  life,  a  sailor's  life, 
A  sailor's  life  for  me,  sirs  ; 
Without  a  care,  blow  foul  or  fair, 
A  sailor's  life  for  me,  sirs  I" 

His  fine  voice  mingled  pleasantly  with  the  ripple  of  the  wave 
and  the  hoarse  roar  of  the  surge  a-beach ;  and  in  ten  minutes 
the  fleet  lugger  passed  between  the  two  cliifs  that  led  to  the 
inner  bay,  and,  rounding  the  Beacon  rock,  ran  half  a  mile 
along  the  winding  shore  of  the  bay,  and  came  to  anchor  a  hun- 
dred  yards  from  the  shore  directly  opposite  the  cottage,  mid- 
way  the  cliff.  A  light  sparkled  in  its  lattice,  as  if  to  guide 
his  bark  in  the  evening  shades,  and  to  welcome  him. 

Leaving  him  to  go  on  shore  and  to  receive  the  message  left 
for  him  by  Hetty,  we  shall  now  follow  the  bark  which  had 
first  attracted  the  notice  of  Mr.  Fielding,  stcaliiig  out  before 
night  the  same  way  the  lugger  had  just  come  in,  and  which 
was  discovered  outside  by  Gardner,  standing  boldly  for  the 

British  frigate. 

The  Manager  was  not  mistaken  in  fancying  the  xebco  was 
hugging  the  shore  to  escape  notice.  A  few  moments  before 
Mr.  Fielding's  eye  foil  on  it,  it  had  issued  from  behind  a  jut- 
ting rock  half  way  between  the  hanging  cottage  of  Mrs.  Gard- 
ner and  the  Beacon  Head.  This  juttiiig  rock  sheltered  a 
narrow  scoop  of  deep  water,  about  an  acre  in  extent,  whicli 
formed  a  safe  anchorage  for  two  small  craft,  its  usual  occu- 
pants, which  were  conceded  from  the  villa  by  the  slmuldcr 
of  the  cliff,  which  also  hid  all  but  a  corner  of  the  roof  of  a 
miserable  hut  built  close  to  the  water.  When  the  frigate  first 
appeared  in  the  offing,  there  were  two  persons  in  this  hut,  and 
the  two  craft  were  at  anchor  within  stone's-throw.  The  two 
persons  wore  father  and  son.     The  fHrnici,  »  broad-cbcitcd 


BPTii**-,'-  ,.-#,.,«« 


rtss 


"IE  ™i«ArB  «  ,„,  „„^^^ 


man,  and  onco  Dowcrf.,1  r      i     .  ^" 

cbeeH  .taring  red  „ye«,  „iM    'jf  f ,".  »"">,  with  hollow 

»»J  »  trembling  frame.     Hi.  S^  ™'''''  ^"■'>-  i»°'i' 

f  °1  over  the  pont-hou^e  ^  I        if  V;"  "'"'""P''  «''* 
I"'  oyc3  glared  lii„  ,„.„  „„I^"""  'f;  ""f"'  ^^adcv  of  „iil 

K-veling  Wute,  the  fcreo  dovi]  .nd'  T  "  "!""«""«  "^  ">" 
'"">>,  that  rendered  hin.  an  ob  ect  !  I  '""'"«  ™'  '""  ""= 
"""'  »f  diagust.     He  was  ekd  '  ""^  P"^'  »">'  <>f  fear 

'^....i-.  and  rag,. ,  „:,:  ^ ';  ^^^^^  ^''0  i.ut  „„.  .,„::' 

»*  one  comfort.  '  ''  ""^^'I'^blc  shed,  destitute 

One  of  the  two  nr-ift  ;„  xi 

»^  dilapidated  arttte"  1?^  t^"  '""  ^"'  -  -  "Id 
«'■""  *'«'  barnacles  and  «ed  tlT'T?"''"'^' "» '"'"» 
«.  s,  .ts  eordage  dry  and  ,,eeIod  it,' n  "^  ""^'^  '''"■™' 
«"d  .t«  upper  works  eut  away  t  f  f  /""'"^  ""-^  ""^P"''. 
'"■ock,  but  not  by  wind  „„r  Z.7  li  ':  .  "T'''  ^' '™«  » 
"';;'"'  "»'l  "">,  lite  her  maste,'   ^         "'"'  ^'"''"'''  I'"'  '-y 

i  "ccablo  appearanee.     It  T"',  "V"' '"«'  "  ^'™ng  and  aer- 

I  l"™«...H.ed  it,  a  gebaeea-boaVwih       '  "V  "'"  »-'"" 

"  '::»■"«  l.igh  above  the  hel.nl^J "'  1  "  """""-'"ikd  "tern 

-'I-,  and  its  ,nain,„il  only  half  th.  .f ''™;  .'""-""^'"d.  »ith  u 

,;";•."  «i.^toen  ton,,  burden  and  L  ,"" '''"■'^^''"-     ^'^as 

!  I  "like  Gardner's  lu«„e-   i'T  ""''"'"■''  ««■'  «m-ieo 

i "  ---.;„  It  i,!f ;  27,  :;r:?"  ""^  "'-"y  ^-'itute 

;•"""  3ail  re„,art„bly  well  '  I  eo™^'^;  '""^  '"'"'«d  as  if  it 
H»ns,  though  on  „  craft  of  her  sz  a  ^  "'"""""''  ^^  '"» 
H«  to  look  afte.  lael«a„d  11     ".''"^  "^  '""•eti, 


'«-k.^  and  sheets,  and  eook 


thn    airl^^ 


'''^'c  second  person  in  th 


•*♦«  J 


0  hut 


""'"'  ''  ^'^"^fi  '"«"  Of  uupre. 


58 


NORVEL   IIASTtNGS;   OR, 


possessing  appearance.  He  was  short,  compact,  bull-headed, 
Vfith.  an  ox  neck,  and  was  one  of  that  class  of  beings  occasion- 
ally to  be  met  with,  who  arc  left-handed  and  are  double-jointed, 
both  signs  of  immense  strength.  His  hair  was  red,  short,  and 
grew  low  on  a  narrow,  square  brow,  which  was  more  animal 
than  intellectual.  His  eyes  were  light  gray,  small,  and  lively 
in  their  motions,  but  wanting  in  all  other  expression,  save  a 
settled  one  of  suspicion  and  dislike.  His  complexion  was 
very  fair,  his  nose  small,  and  turned  up  viciously,  his  mouth 
narrow  and  thin-lipped,  his  chin  square  and  broad,  indicating 
great  resolution  and  obstinacy  of  will.  He  wore  a  red  woollen 
shirt  open  at  the  collar,  displaying  his  girlish  white  neck, 
and  thick  pilot-cloth  sailors'  long  trowscrs,  of  a  drab  colour. 
He -wore  no  belt,  but  carried  his  sheath-knife  in  his  bosom  like 
a  Spaniard. 

When  the  report  of  the  frigate's  guns,  as  she  fired  at  the 
American  schooner-of-war,  reached  his  ears,  he  was  walking 
moodily  up  and  down  the  earthen  floor  of  the  hut,  his  arms 
folded  and  his  eye  bent  to  the  earth,  and  engaged  in  medita- 
tions  that  were  of  no  pleasing  nature,  if  the  fierce  contraction 
of  the  eyebrows,  the  oft-bitten  nether  lip,  and,  from  time  to 
time,  the  deeply  enunciated  execration,  were  any  indications 
by  which  an  opinion  could  be  formed. 

"  A  gun  I"  he  exclaimed,  "  A  cannon  !  There  must  be  a 
frigate  in  the  offing !"  ho  added  with  surprise,  as  the  deep 
boom  of  the  discharged  piece  reverberated  above  his  head 
among  the  cliffs. 

"  Yes,  that 's  a  gun  and  no  mistake,  and  a  big  gun  too !"  said 
the  father,  his  watery  eyes  brightening  for  a  moment  as  he 
lifted  his  ear  to  listen.     Where  are  you  going,  Dirk  ?" 

The  young  man  made  no  reply,  but  with  rapid  steps  has- 
tened from  the  hut,  ran  swiftly  round  the  border  of  the  pool, 
and,  coming  to  a  break  in  the  ntcep  cliff,  he  ascended  to  a 
jutting   shelf  about  ten  feet  above  the  level  of  the  water 


•iiere  wj 
}">'iig  man 


THE  FRIGATE    IN   THE  OPPINO.  59 

path  alofg  it     Atlne  „,1       .1"""'"  '"  ^  "^'™"'»  -  l-i^ 
water  of  'th    bay    at  aToI      ,°  T  '""^'''S  ""  "">  ''-P 

n™„ent  aaee.^  l^.'^^lt:  i:^  ^^  T'  ^ 
proceed  in  this  way  for  ah,„t .  """"«•     He  continued  to 

half  a  .nile  in  ZrlZ  wht  "  TuT  '"""^  "'^  '""  f"" 
the  form  <  .  stel  nMh  ,  .  I  f  ^'^'"'  ">  ''=^"'"«  "o-'e 
bill.     FoUowinlit  It  T        ""''"^  '""""^^  "«=  '"P  of  'ho 

.ho  Sat  — ^onte't  ::C"'Be?Tt-"™^-'^  """^ 
curving  bight  of  the  bay  waXvil^  ^  '"'"' ""^^  the 
a  direct  line,  but  two  ,nl?hrf  n  ' "  "[''  ""■ """'  '«^'""  ™ 
raontorv      mTt.  T  ^  Allowing  the  eweop  of  the  pro- 

laontory.    His  hut  was  visible  half  a  mile  off  and  lv!„     i     V 
the  water;  while,  appare„tlyporchedov"rithal?tvtf,f'° 
c.p.tons  rock,  was  the  cottagfof  the  oZner,      T   .^'^    "  ^"^ 
'h*.nco,  as  his  eye  took  the  dire  L  of  I'  >""°'" 

inlet,  a  descrintion  nf  „i  •  i        "'"'"  "'  ""'  '""•"»  and  secret 

.ho  ;arel.„u  e  oouli  r,''"''?™^^"  ''"■■^'  ""^  '""^'  °f 

hordored   he    hoTs  of  jT^f"'  "'"^  ""  '™^^  """ 

it  stood.  ""  '"""  "'"'  Weconnett,  on  which 

foa"  r'e^ththtL'i'  ''T\''  «""  "''"'  "  ^^^  --7 

'^»  top  0^  r:i;"i?iivtr„;  f: "-  r  *- 

^««-^'r.     Ho  hastfln^,!  .n ,  /."""'^'^^^  *^«*  ^^  ^I^"  sea-beaten 

™«d».cad  Ci   0  r  Ln  c  L; '  .ll'"  "T"""  "">  »"- 
lijht  when  he  behri  .1  '■     ,       '  '^^  '^""«"*  '*'*  ^e- 

iWngso  cLe  to  th.  1   ^  °f° , "■"■»-'»"»  ^  .he  war-ship 

«hoLr  to    ewa,^        i\  "'  "''"  ■""""""<•  the  Amcricaa 
1^^^  ^_^  or  to  leeward;  and  hoari  the  frigate  again  arc  to  bring 

•■"11 

;:i!^l^^^^«^-^^^  Visible  on  the  face 


I 


3""»g  nnu,  as  he  saw  this  play  of 


of  the 
war;  as  if  the  darker  and 


60 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


most  hostile  cmoiions  of  bis  being  bad  been  called  up,  nii<l 
moved  deeply  by  the  sight  and  sounds  of  battle.    This  feeling 
lies  deep  in  every  human  bosom ;  and  a  battle-chord  responds 
in  every  human  heart  to  the  human  war-cry  or  iion  war-gun. 
In  some  it  is  stronger  than  in  others;  but  yet  even  in  women 
it  is  not  wanting.     But  there  are  some  corrupt  and  animal 
natures  in  which  it  finds  its  full  and  fierce  ^cho ;  and  such  a 
nature  was  that  of  the  young  man  who  now  listened  and  gaz- . 
on  this  novel  and  exciting  scene.     lie  strained  his  f;    ,  ..i 
vain  to  make  out  the  nation  of  the  frigate;  and  >'i  iu.*ji,ih,  as 
her  colours  flaunted  out  in  view,  he  recognised  the  flag  of 
Enffland.     With  the  keenest  interest  he  watched  the  baffled 
chase,  and  his  heart  leaped  at  every  discharge  of  the  naval 
artillery,  which  was  reflected  from  the  wall  of  the  beacon- 
tower  with  startling  distinctness.     When  he  saw  the  frigato 
abandon  the  pursuit,  his  small,  vicious-looking  features  were 
lighted   up  by  a  redeeming  smile.     He  was  evidently  too 
patriotic,  too  much  of  an  American,  to  desire  one  of  his  own 
country's  vessels  to  become  a  prey  to  tho  English. 

"The  schooner's  heels  have  the  best  of  it,  and  the  lubberly 
frigate  may  stop  and  fasten  her  shoes  on  before  she  catches 
that  clipper-looking  chap.  I  'd  like  to  know  what  craft  tlint 
is  that  sails  so  like  a  gull." 

While  ho  was  thus  soliloquizing,  and  wholly  absorbed  in 
watching  the  frigate  as  she  beat  back  to  her  former  position, 
a  woman — if  such  an  object  could  be  called  by  so  hallowed  an 
nppcllation— -clad  in  rags  that  scarcely  served  to  cover  ber, 
crept  frc.n  an  opening  in  the  ruined  Beacon,  and  shufflcJ 
towards  the  young  man  with  a  sliding  limp  that  produced  a 
gait  that  added,  if  possible,  to  tho  hideousness  of  her  aspect 
and  form.  She  came  close  up  to  him  unseen,  and  suddenly 
clapped  her  skinny  hand  upon  his  shoulder.  Harder  had  too 
imn  a  nsrvo  to  be  surr»rised  or  startled^  and  turuinsr  round  his 
head,  he  no  sooner  saw  wlio  thus  accosted  him,  than  he  nhoc'' 


THE   FRIGATE  IN   THE   OFPlNu. 


lier  off,  and  tr-^'.  1,;    l     , 

fi-W"g  eyes  upoirJJtr,  "'""''  '"'  ^'^'-^^  h- 

ier  shut  k.na:^„,,Cy::u: """""''  """^  ^"^  ^--t 

Harder!-  "^     '""^^  *^^'-  ^^"  twist  the  rope,  Dirk 

"I'll  not  leep  ,„ie  ■  Z ?  l^'f  '  ''^~'^- 
yo»  shan't  hit  Tl    l'  t"   1 1  rr,  '"r"™*!'  «"•.  «"  that 
-  Waot !    Ha,  ha !    y^Z  tan' .      '  """"'^  ^°"  '"'"^ 
what  makes  it  I    If  j  »   •„,?  '         ■    ,     """""'  """l  ^  know 

^"^  Hard.,  r  k«o.  2:^  :i::"t ' """  ™^^ »« >•«, 

J'^t  the  old  One  don't  whispe  "u  Z  '""'''°  *'"''^'  ""'I 

»'f  '0  hin,,  and  mean  tcTet  'll     J  •'"'•    ^ '"'''"  «»'<'  '"^  • 
^oul  to  save  as  well  „«,„„?  f"""  ''°"'    i''  ^r  I've  got  a 

j;vegotason,tosa::i::^,tr;:-"7'"  '^'"-"^^  - 

How  grand  the  guns  sound !  Oh  '  Ih  '  t  "*?''  '""-^'"P  • 
">y  «iaj !  I 'm  fifty.eigi,t  ,„,„  „ld  .?.""■''  "'  ''^''"^'^ "^ 
»^!  But  I  won't  talf  o'Con  s''°«  ™  '"■•■"' '"  «■«  °'<1 
-^  «.  too  old  and  wretohcX"^  ^1^^^^  ""  "^' 
"ylife  was  onee  so  happv-so  L  "'""^''-o''. 

joung and  fair,  and "  '"  '"'PPy-so  happy!    I  „,, 

r '  y  iX';r::,d-'h!::  r'vr :,  -'^  -«»'» -o- 

f>«"t  U,  and  the  thunder  roars.;  """''  """•  "'  ■"g^ts 

'■'-'    Oh,  some  nightsT;:;^'',""'  ""'  "^  ^"'^  -"^ 

6  ^''^^  ^"  '»y  tongue,  the  old  One 


t  -5* 


!•;    '• 


62 


NORVEL  HASTINGS;   OR, 


'    HIS 


puts  other  words  in  place,  and  so  I  curse  when  I  would  pray ! 
It  is  dreadful !  It  will  be  so  till  I  die ;  and  then  I  expect 
angels  will  take  me  to  Heaven  !  Do  you  believe  in  Heaven, 
Dirk  ?  It  is  all  gold,  and  green  birds,  and  angels,  music,  and 
love  !  Love  !  I  used  to  love  onee.  But  nobody  loves  now ! 
Don't  strike  me." 

"  Then  go  away.  I  want  to  see  what  this  ship  is  doing. 
There  is  tobacco.     Go,  now  I" 

"  Ah,  I  knew  you  'd  have  to  pay  me !"  she  mumbled, 
"Tobacco  is  both  bread  and  rum!  How* black  your  heart 
looks  in  your  face.  Dirk  Harder !  And  I  know — I  know !" 
she  chanted  wildly,  keeping  at  a  safe  distance  from  him, 
*»■  I  know — I  know  what  makes  your  heart  so  black  in  your 
face !" 

"  Will  you  leave  me;  or  shall  I  pitch  you  into  the  sea?" 

"  Dirk,  you  must  not  have  my  blood  on  your  soul !  I  can 
serve  you  if  I  li/e.  Don't  you  want  a  thought  I  have  ?  Give 
me  more  tobacco !" 

"I  have  nothing  to  give  for  your  thoughts!''  he  said, 
gloomily. 

"  Well,  I  '11  give  it  to  you.  Your  heart,  I  'm  thinking,  is 
black  in  your  face,  because  you  love  the  proud  Mary  Fielding, 
the  rich  Manager's  daughter ;  and  she  will  none  o*  your  love  I 
You  hate  her  now  !     I  know  all !" 

"  How  do  you  know  ?     What  do  you  know  ?" 

"  I  have  ears  !  Nan  is  where  people  dor/t  think  she  is,  and 
when  they  think  they  are  alone.  Ha !  ha !  I  would  laugb 
if  I  was  not  afraid  vou  'd  kill  me  !     I  saw  and  heard  !" 

"  What  did  you  hear?"  he  demanded  fiercely,  yet  with  evi- 
dent curiosity  to  leara  what  she  had  discovered. 

"  I  heard  you  in  the  walk  from  Ma'am  Gardner's  cabin  to 
the  big  house,  when  you  met  her  three  nights  agone  I* 

"  You  saw  me  1" 

"  Yes.     Do  you  think  Nan  can't  sec  ?    I  was  roaming  to 


I'HE  MIOATE  IN   THE   OFTOO.  gg 

and  fro  the  earth,  and  wilt;„„ 

at  the  mooo,  and  tllkil™  •    «  J'"^  ''°»"  "'  ""d  looting 
for  I  can  never  sloo^JZ^l',^^"''^^  '"  '^^P  "P  -*  "! 
a«0  I  l.;d  in  the  whe'at,  ZTXZj'r'l'C  '  '^  '  ^"P' 
mo  would  hurt  „e ;  for  I  have  L  friend  L^  7      "r"' "" 
Mary.-I  was  onee  pretty,  too  i    ft!,         v      «''°'''  P'''="J' 
hid,  and  who  should  it  be  but  il,.  °  ''^•«°'"=^  •'    ^o  I 

heart  daneed  to  see  her  tl  '*'"  "'"'^  '""«'f-     My 

iiio  silver  dust  o"  h  r  Z^a^f.  T"  ""^  ""'"'"s'"  '"^'4 
%h'-I  was  oneo  youthfln  B  f  u ''^  "  ^°'''''^"' -^ 
I  would  have  rose,  and  snoto  *o  1,  .  ^™  ''^■S™^'  '-So 
when  I  heard  another  step  and  onT'  •'"  ''^^  ^""^  ™'-. 
a  rock,  and  stood  plumb  X  , ,:,"""  ''""'"'"™'»  ''^'"■"» 
"You  saw  that,  you  hag!" 
"Ay,  did  I!  and  she  did  not  •„- 

firm  anddidn't  seem  afraid  as  l„r  '^''  •""  «'»<"' 
d-,  to  moot  yon  alone  by  i  1,17  7  f  ^^'  ^'*  »"- 
^.nd  she  asked  you  oalmlv  Iff' T  .^t^'  '^""  "'••'*  »"««'•, 
".™  heartb-stone,  ^'  '''°  ''"<'  ''<"■"  ■»'  home  by  he; 

" '  Dirtman  Harder,  what  do  yon  desire  v    nu   ,       . 
»<1  sweet  she  spoke  I    It  seemed  ,!  I    !  '  '""'  '"•"^ 

"..ghod  to  see  Dirk  Harde   da  htd     t.  Z'™  *  ^"'  »<'  ^ 
f  I  had  to  kill  yo„  with  th     h       knife  T, '""'"""'»<'' 

'«•;  «o  I  kept  quiet-looked  on  r-        '  ^"^  "'"'"'''  "»'  '""» 
_'' Take  caro  of  my  knife,  witch!" 

I  voJ.::^;::,^:!:;-:;  a^^-thL'sh^"-  ^-r  ^-^  -- 

I  She  then  tnid  /ou  phinlvv™  .      '  """'  '"'^™'  ^'^  '■ 

'hi»q;  when  y  u  swore  InolM.  "T  '"  '"'P''^  "'  ^-o^  « 

!  "'hen  she  tried  to  pass  a«  Tf    K     .  i  ^T  '""'  ^"  J™"  •' 

-.0"  *on  try  to::;r  /, : ; ,:- -'» you,  oh,  i 

^an  to  feel  th.  .a^.  .c^.MT  ^''J'''^^  ^^r;  and  then  I 

'  commanded 


\  n 


,1  -         -      -"""  ('"c  uomman 

t  her  go,  that  you  obeyed  like  a  slave 


I  you 
I  saw 


64 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OB, 


-   \ 


it !  I  saw  the  devil  then  leap  up  into  your  eyes  and  glare  out 
o'  them  !  You  swore  that  you  knew  Norvel  Hastings  was  your 
rival,  and  that  it  was  for  love  of  him  she  rejected  you !  You 
then  took  an  oath- 


)> 


"  What  oath  did  you  hear,  woman  V 

"  I  heard  it  all !  I !  My  ears  were  sharp  !  You  swore  to 
her,  like  a  coward,  you  would  be  the  death  of  young  Norvel  for 
thus  crossing  your  loves.  And  I  heard  her  words — ^weren't 
they  proud  ones,  and  didn't  they  cut  you.  Dirk  Harder  !  She 
answered  that  Norvel  Hastings,  like  other  brave  men,  could 
defend  himself  from  wild  beasts,  should  they  come  in  his 
path  !  Oh,  how  you  gnashed  your  teeth,  and  would  have  killed 
her  for  that  speech,  if  at  that  instant  Pipa,  the  good  Pipa,  had 
not  been  heard  coming  up,  and  calling  the  maiden,  saying  he 
had  come  after  her  to  escort  her  home.  Then  you  quit  her 
with  a  threat  of  a  vengeance  that  you  promised  her  should 
make  her  repent  that  hour  of  scorn !  Hah,  ha !  Didn't  I  hear 
it  all?  Haven't  I  told  the  tale  straight?  I  have  your  secret, 
Dirk  Harder !  If  harm  c^~ne  to  her  or  Norvel,  I  know  where 
to  lay  it,  I !  I !    What  '11  you  give  me  not  to  tell  it  again  ?" 

"Give  you  ?"  he  muttered  through  his  shut  teeth,  while  tlie 
horrible  spirit  of  murder  shone  in  his  dark  looks ;  "  I  '11  give  | 
thee  thy  deserts  !  Go  and  tell  it  to  the  fiends  1"  And  spring- 
ing at  her  throat,  he  hurled  her  light,  attenuated  form  out  at  I 
arms'  length,  and  then  releasing  her  let  her  drop  !  A  hundriHl 
feet  below  she  struck  the  beach,  and  her  mortal  shriek  echoed 
in  the  ears  of  the  murderer  soma  seconds  after  the  body  was  j 
dashed  to  pieces. 

"  She  deserved  it !  She  was  of  no  use  to  any  body !  She  I 
deserved  it !  She  maddened  me  to  it !  May  the  infernal  Satan 
take  her !  It  '11  be  supposed  she  fell  over.  No  one  saw  ni^  j 
do  it!  She  deserved  it,  and  brought  it  upon  herself!  Cod[ 
found  the  wretch  !  I  wish  I  had  not  seen  her  !  But  let  her  J 
go! 


„     »_ss. 


THE  PRIOAM  IN  THE   OFPIXO,  ^ 

more  than  once  "ffre.!    ^f, '™"'  '""^  ^I""'  '"^-S  b-k 

«a,.cely  stopped  to  glauco  at  tho'fZ ^    ''^1  Tt'    "' 
was  just  coming-to  in  thp  nffi„  f      ^     '  '''"'^'^  ■"=  siw 

path  that  led  to  his  huf  t?!,  "\  ^'  '''^"^'P^"^''  <'»™  'l-^ 
gate  brought  an  mI  "1  ht'htd  whVf  '^  'V'  ''"  «" 
moment  forget  his  late  v,V»ll        ,  "'*'^''  ''''»  ''''■•  "le 

satisfaction.^<ICil^hav  tv'  "  '""""'"'  »^'-°- 

ha«ght,girf  .mm^;z  jr^zTi"  """.'f  ^-  ^"o 

ker  above  me,  and  I  will  beggi  her  Ho  ^!  "f "  "■"*  ""'" 
will  make  her  a  beggar  and  fh  1 '  '  '"'  ^"^  "'=''<'■' !  I 
wni  be  Humbledrr;::1„t;;  i-^^^^^^^  vaiu  girl, 
despised  Dirk  Harder  '   I  will  of  f ,  ^^  ^^^^  °^  ^^^ 

tki3  Korve,  Hastint;:  aLT^hthT^';--"""  T'' 
thee,  haste,  good  Dirk  f   Timp  ^  •*        f  ^  ^''"'^'  ^""^^^ 

ve^geancelh^U  light nponXXrhlr;Ct^^^ 

.hat  I  an,  not  to  be  despised,  if  I  am  Zr  coaSldT 


I 


J 


fq 


f/'J 


oe 


NORVEL   HASTINGS  J   OH, 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Dirk  Harder  was  not  long  in  regaining  the  hut  which  he 
had  left  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the  unusual  firing  he  had 
lieard. 

He  entered  the  cabin  with  a  step  and  air  that  was  so  much 
more  than  usually  determined  that  his  father  noticed  it,  and 
said  in  his  tipsy  tone, 

"  Wha-at's  the  mat-ter  with  yer.  Dirk?" 

The  response  was  an  oath  so  terrible  that  the  drunkard 
started  and  raised  his  eyes  to  look  at  him  with  a  vacant  stare: 
"Don't  swear  at-at  your  fa-fa-thcr,  Dirk,  son-ny !  What 
are  you  do-in'  with  the  til-til-ler  ?  You  aint  going  to  fish  out- 
side to-night,  hey  r"' 

The  young  man,  win  was  busily  engaged  in  making  prepa- 
rations that  evidently  had  in  view  an  excursion  in  his  xebec, 
here  replied  by  an  execration  that  brought  the  drunkard  tn 
his  feet,  and  an  echo  of  the  execration  from  his  lips  moro 
emphatic  than  the  original  one.  It  was  fairly  shrieked  !  His 
hands  clenched  and  his  eyes  flashed  fire,  while  the  veins  in 
his  forehead  were  convulsively  knotted  like  a  nest  of  snakes 
writhing  there.  A  demon  looked  out  of  his  eyes !  Every 
nerve  in  his  body  seemed  converted  to  steel !  He  caught  up 
a  liroken  oar,  and  brandished  it  with  a  giant's  strength. 

"  Swear,  will  you  !  I  '11  swear  too !  I  hear  them  swear  sonic- 
times  down  uinr  '    You  can't  beat  them  at  it,  bny  I   Don'* 


THE   PRIOATE    IN   THE   OFFINO. 


frenzy.  "'"'''  '?'"'  *^«  »'^''k<=  and  wild  „itu 

"Sit  down,  old  man  !   sit  down,  I  say  i   D„„',  k    • 
of  your  capers!   I  can't  stay  to  ieen  vm!f        ,       ^^'"  °"' 
sdf-    I  'm  off.    Sit  down !"  ^  ^      ""  ''"""8  >"""- 

But  the  drunkard  did  not  heed  him  i    H 
something  in  the  darlnA,,    f  .t     ,.  ^^  ^''""'"^  '»  ««» 

between  him  and  Ms  so/lm    r        ''  "'"^"'■''«  '»  "-^  -'■ 
mortal  vision  to  behold  "' hT,'"""  »-P^^''-Wy  ^readfu!  for 

sockets !    His  fae    grew  luck^Tf  f "«"='  ^'^  ">- 

fery  nostrils  dilated  qutk^dsWr't  '''''"°'"'"  "" 
>.im  enchained  to  the  spot  m  ^""."f  ""-o™'  tad 
where  the  doomed  suffer  ^!1'  ^^''''''  ^'^  «  tie  place 
a"  its  dread  Tel^  o^w  f  s?;!;  f l'"'™  rr'^f"^'^" 

. W  out  his  hanlst i  ^^  SttM^f  H^t^^^^^^^ 
With  supernatural  terror.  He  imr>lnr.«  i  ^  i  trembled 
curses!  ,^o  frantically  entJs\:Te';::ln':!''~^'-'  "» 

™ !  ^^y  tX:^IJt  "r'  "^  '"'"  "■^'  «-  ••  S"« 
.cd-iron!  thL    re  nourr         7  ^T  """"^  ^•^'='«'"'  ""!' 

™ 'earing  mhZtr\:?t!f"\T^  «"  "'  '""^ 
"-cy-  They  have  me—  .'•^„]'^iff-  '"'?'  "'fy! 
boar  more,  suddenly  caught  him  in  t  ,  '""'  """""  '" 
I'im  down  and  witM,i=  t  °"'™8  ""»''  *'"•««' 

fee  his  cr  esheTd  ^       f^'  ^r^'  "P™  '"^  ««""''  '"  «»■ 

*e  wrS  e^l XhS  ;«,  '^  "''  r''''""' 
of  life.  "^^pioss,  and  with  scarcely  a  sign 

"I   let  -'  '"'  ''^'"''  ■"""""S  'f  »»  -*s  well 

A  txpect.        lie  now  xmnf  r>»*  f„u'  „  ii     ,.„ 


l.'^' 


,  i.wvii.g  cne  nllor,  anoar,  nnd 


68 


NORVEL   HASTINas;   OE; 


some  rigging,  and  closing  the  door,  lie  fastened  it  on  tlic  out- 
side. Then  springing  into  a  small  black  skiff  that  was  tied 
to  a  stone  near  the  doorway,  he  shot  out  from  the  shore  to  the 
xebec,  which  was  but  a  tew  rods  distant.  Springing  on  board, 
lie  slipped  the  1  awser  which  secured  it  to  a  buoy,  and  then 
with  a  pole  shod  with  iron,  pushed  tue  xebec  out  from  the 
pool  into  the  bay.  Hero  he  hoisted  the  jib  to  catch  the  light 
wind,  and,  taking  the  helm,  he  steered  as  closely  under  the 
cliff  as  he  could  with  safety.  Every  few  minutes  he  would 
cast  his  eye  backwards  and  upwards,  to  see  if  he  could  be 
seen  from  the  villa ;  but  as  he  advanced  farther  down  the  bay 
he  g'-ew  bolder,  hoisted  the  main-sheet,  and  steered  straight 
for  the  opening  that  connected  the  bay  with  the  ocean.  lie 
once  thought  he  could  see  the  form  of  Mary  Fielding  on  the 
cliff,  and  his  countenance  assumed  a  look  of  defiance  and 
triumph. 

"  Pretty  beauty  I  we  will  see  who  conquers  !  When  I  com- 
plete my  revenge  on  Norvel  Hastings  and  thee,  I  shall  forgive 
you  both  for  humbling  me  as  you  have!    Norvel  Hastings 

0 !  the  man  of  all  men  I  hate  !  But  his  time  shall  come ! 
A  plague  on  that  witch  !  that  yell  keeps  ringing  in  my  ears 
and  reminding  me  of  her  !  I  rid  the  earth  of  a  nuisance  !  She 
had  lived  long  enough  !  Confound  her !  I  wish  I  could  forget 
her !  How  the  old  Beacon  seems  to  look  down  and  frow  .  ! 
Hark !  somebody  said  murder !  No,  it  was  the  cry  of  that 
gull  wheeling  about  the  tower  !  I  am  afraid  I  shall  hear  that 
shriek,  or  see  her  walking  on  the  water  after  my  boat,  if  I  am 
ever  at  sea  in  the  night  I" 

The  boat  was  now  rounding  the  Beacon  point,  and  required 
his  whole  attention  to  manage  her ;  for,  though  it  was  com- 
paratively calm  outside,  the  wind  drew  strongly  through  the 
gorge.  For  a  few  moments  the  xebec  dashed  on  her  passage 
through  with  spray  under  bows;  but  in  five  minutes  she  was 


THE  FRIGATE   IN   THE  OPriNc.  Qg 

outside,  the  Beacon  towerine  astern  -.n,?  tu 
upon  the  long  shining  J^lZf^^^^  Z  °"!f  ^™  "T'""' 
and  fell  with  graceful  motics.     mt~a         ™'  """ 
of  hi..elf,  a.  if  .  3P011  guided  .t  CC  5"™;:  T 
mass  lying  in  a  heap  at  the  base  of    1,.    ,•»  ?        f  ^ 

^ea  ca^e.     Ho  shudLed,  LdTatlin  g^tt^  !  n.? 
divert  Ins  mind  by  aivinf?  hJ^  off.r,f      7  .  '     ^^*  *^ 

1  •  "^  fo^^^"g  "IS  attention  to  the  xebec  imi  fiv,-« 

l"s  gaze  np#n  the  frigate,  towards  which  llT     ^^^  fi^mg 

"i:i"sr  ^:  Slit  r"™"" 

;-t  to  be  anno,ed;\^SrroJ,^^  :  -tt  : 

ascertain,  as  it  seemed,  if  he  were  observed.    Vhen  t  ,aw 

e  lugger  twice  eome  to,  and  onee  leep  awayli?  tZ 

dihl'od  '  "'  "^'"'^  ""^  "'^"^^^  '»  -<-  »'  -"e?s  hi: 

™ .   0.  If  they  do,  what  is  it  to  me  ?  I  fear  no  man— „„t  T  r 

much  in  a  hurry  to  sun  himself  in  the  little  English  Jvl 
c/es  to  look  after  my  motions,  if  he  suspec^c<^  !~    "f      ^I'^  ' 


I'iii 


70 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;    OB, 


what  can  he  suspect  ?  The  idea  is  in  my  own  head,  and  no  one 
has  shared  with  me.  So,  speed,  good  bark  !  Speed  my  revenge, 
and  lower  the  topsails  of  those  that  sail  too  high  alof.,  for  their 
ballast !  In  ten  minutes  I  shall  know  my  fate.  It  is  a  risk  to 
run  to  put  myself  in  the  hands  of  John  Bull ;  but  if  I  can 
serve  him  he  will  use  me.  So,  fly  away  with  us,  good  boat ! 
May  the  fiend  have  that  old  woman  I  I  thought  I  saw  her 
then  standing  on  the  bows  V  ^ 

Leaving  the  xebec,  visibly  haunted  to  the  murderer's  con- 
science by  the  spirit  of  the  murdered  witch-woman^  to  pursue 
its  course  through  the  shadows  of  twilight  to  the  frigate,  we 
will  now  take  our  readers  to  her  warlike  decks. 


it  T 


Si*;^..  ..SJ^.i._^ 


THE   FRIGATE   IN   THE   OFFING. 


71 


CHAPTilK  VII. 

officers  were  grouped,  and  on  the  forcelle  w  ^  !„ Td 
».d»h,pme„  as  well  a.  iu  tl.e  top  a„d  „„  the  var^s      To 
tmly  pervaded  the  whole  interior  •   from  J    .  , 

»tH,l  hoatswain.  whistle,  n.in;,:;\I°V'':l;':;  tt 

ZZ'Z  "T  ""'".f  """"■  "''"  '"»  -P»'«»-bar3    n  sending 

of"  r,'."Pf  ""'--'•    These  sounds,  witL  the  stem 

^ice  of  the  lieutenant  of  the  dock  giving  orders    «„,)•  T 

t^Z7V""" ,""'"'  -  f-  ift-fdU.;:;   hoo  rs" 
01  Uirk  Harder  with  stunning  effect. 

Tlie  approach  of  the  xobcc  wa.  not  unperoeived  bv  tha 

aT».  .  f  .'  ""  "''"  "'°  '"''S"-  ^"'l  everything  else 
tI  •  ."■  ''•"^' """  "'"™''  "P™  «•«  "ccan  within  visioT 
T  e  hentcnant  of  the  deck,  who  was  standing  on  the  Trm 

t     r","^         a  score  of  others  the  frigate  had  passed,  tha 
"      "'""  •'"■'y  "^'''''^  '""-out  inolest^ition  bv  shin,  of 

-TtU.  »-  r~    — 

"That  chap  is  coming  ab«.rd,  sir,"  said  the  quarlor-nas- 


:  f  ^i 


Mil 


h  I 


72 


NORVEL   HASTINGS  J   Ctt, 


ter,  removing  his  spy-glass  from  his  eye.     There  is  but  one 
person  in  her,  and  he  means  to  board  or  hail  us  V 

"  Perhaps  the  Yankee  -wants  to  sell  us  smoked  herring 
caught  to-day;"  said  a  forward  midshipman. 

"  Or  he  may  be  coming  off  \rith  proposals  of  peace  from 
Jonathan  to  his  majesty/'  observed  another.  , 

"  The  fellovr  means  to  demand  our  business  here  on  the 
coast  of  his  universal  nation.  We  had  better  beat  to  quar- 
ters !"  This  witticism  proceeded  from  a  youth  of  sixteen, 
with  flowing  locks  like  a  girl,  a  delicate  hand,  and  handsome, 
rosy  face— a  sprig  of  nobility,  evidently  from  the  laughter 
with  which  the  rest,  aud  eepecially  the  white-headed  old 
quarter-master  received  what  he  said, 

"  That  is  a  handsome  villa  inland  we  have  had  in  sight 
these  last  five  hours,"  said  a  lieutenant,  with  a  ;r'  iss  at  hia 
eye.     "  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  there  was  beauty  there  I" 

"  Beauty  and  booty,  both ;"  responded  a  handsome  young 
officer,  in  undress  uniform.  "  I  fancied  all  would  be  wild 
as  Scotland  on  this  coast;  but  the  scenery  about  that  bay 
shows  civilization  ar-'l  wealth." 

"The  Tankces  u:q  rich  enough;  aud  as  they  wander  all 
over  tho  world,  they  know  how  to  use  it,  from  seeing  -how 
other  people  live.  They  are  the  greatest  imitators  of  any 
people  on  earth !"  said  an  old  lieutenant  with  a  red  nose. 

"Ye  may  well  ^ay  that,  dear,"  answered  nn  Irish  marine 
captain,  gayly  attired ;  "  show  them  a  frigate  and  they  '11  make 
a  better  one  jist  like  it,  and  carry  more  guns  !  It  is  a  botherin' 
shame  that  spalpeen  of  a  schooner  got  away  from  us  so  aisy!" 

"  That  schooner  plainly  thought  we  were  a  friend,"  answered 
the  lieutenant  before  named.  "  She  walked  up  to  us  so  boldly, 
and  she  scampered  so  quickly  when  she  saw  our  metal,  and 
found  out  what  we  were  I" 

"The  craft  is  coming  abonrd,  sir!"  reported  the  quartti* 
master. 


THE  FRIGATE   IN   THE  OPriNQ.  73 

"Ay,  ay!  I'll  gee  ^^at  he  wants-"  onri  fK«  ««         f>   , 
deck,  taking  his  trumnet  w.n.  Tl    1    ?  ^''''"  "^^  *^^ 

and  hailed  fhe  xebe     wLlw  ".''"'  ^"°^"^^  ^''' 

"TTo  f]..      ""^""^'/^^ch  was  now  within  cable's  length 

Ho,  the  smack,  ahoy !    Come  alongside  '    T  uff  nn  M 

your  mainsail!    St*and  by  there  ontfT  T.    ''''' 

l^'I  wish  to  speak  with  the  captain." 

"Ay,  ay!  come  aboard.     Three  or  four  nf  , 

deck  among  his  ccrantrv'.,  fn^. .  K,  .  i  •  .  ^^  "  ""' 

ford,.  .•  »'■'»""•}'»  tons;  buthis  patriotism  was  buried 

or  tl,e  „™e  beneath  the  vindietive  emotions  of  revenue     h: 

Ihhl  '"?  ;r"  ""  ™''™"'«  "»''  -""^  -i;  ofTannon 
With  a  sort  of  e  ovation  of  s-^.inf     T^\,ii    •    u      ,  -^  "^  ^'*°"od, 

-onnd,  most  of  whom  were  t    i'      '"    "":'"''  """  "^" 
Ihcir  sunn,>r.  .1   •    f      T  ?        ^^    '  S™"?"'  in  messes  at 

le  was  bewildered      irf         ■^^'"P""'^-'^""-'  ■""•  f"  "  momout 

rower  whtT,  ll   I  "■■"  "^■•P°"'"-'='l  "i"'  "«  idea  of 

rowei  whieh  all  he  saw  oonvoyed  to  bis  mind, 

"I  can  tell  it  only  to  hin,,  sir,"  answered  Dirk,  Irmly 

-:s:ftc''"'''-''''^'''''"^-^-^--'''»««' 

"Can  you  tell  us  where  we  ean  ent  out  .  V.nke.  fri.,,* 

'"}■  man  r  ■  do„,ando,l  the  red-nosed  lieutenant^         '    '        ' 

f-  "Lo  n,e„„whil<.,  word  ha,l  be„„  p„™„,  ,,y  ,|,e  officer  to 


:  .'1 

'r(l 


•'    s, 


74 


NOBVEL   HASTINGS;   OR^ 


the  captain,  who  sent  his  orderly  to  escort  Dirk  to  his  cabin. 
The  young  coaster,  sneered  at  and  twitted  by  the  middies  and 
loblolly  boys  as  he  went  aft,  only  replied  by  a  look  of  defiano*, 
and,  following  the  messenger,  he  was  ushered  into  the  superb 
cabin  of  Lord ,  captain  of  His  Mf^esty's  ship  Helles- 
pont. His  lordship,  a  young  and  effeminate-looking  person,  was 
reclining  at  length  upon  an  oriental  couch,  when  Harder  was 
announced.  The  state-room  was  throughout  furnished  like  a 
boudoir,  rather  than  like  the  cabin  of  a  fighting  ship,  very  far 
removed  from  the  plain  style  in  which  some  of  the  stout  fight- 
ing captains  kept  their  cabins.    But  Lord had  taste — 

loved  luxury,  read,  painted,  drew,  played  the  flute,  and  waltzed 
with  himself  in  a  full-length  mirror  to  admiration  !  Yet  with 
all  his  effeminacy,  his  lordship  had  courage,  and  fought  his 
ship  like  a  lion,  indeed  had  the  reputation  of  being  a  hard 
fighter;  though  hi"  officers  complained  that  he  would  appear  on 
deck  in  the  midst  of  an  engagement  in  kids,  and  give  orders 
with  a  bouquet  in  his  hand  instead  of  a  sword.  The  conser- 
vatory from  which  he  culled  these  floral  luxuries,  I)irk  passed 
through  on  his  way  to  the  inner  cabin,  and  not  without  wonder 
at  seeing  "a  garden  at  sea." 

"  You  have  a — a — wish  to  a — a — see  me,  eh  ?"  and  Captain 
Lord levelled  a  lorgnette  at  the  young  man  with  delibe- 
rate inspection.  "  Bad  face— don't  like  his  looks,"  he  mut- 
tered almost  audibly.     "  What  is  your  country  ?" 

"  American." 

**  Your  pursuit  ?" 

"  Coasting  and  fishing." 

"  Your  business  with  me  ?  Are  you  not  afraid  to — a — a 
trust  yourself  on  board  this  ship  ?" 

"  No,  sir.     I  came  for  your  interests  as  well  as  my  own." 

"  Let  me  hear  how  you  can  effect  our  interests,  young  man  !" 
said  his  lordship,  with  an  indolent  sneer  on  his  fine  lip. 

"  Fewer  the  words  the  better,  T  suppose,  sir.     I  can  inform 


THE   FRtGATE  IN   THE  OFFINQ.  75 

hundred  thousand  dollars!"  '"■°  ''""'  """-^  «""■  »« 

"  Ah  '.'■  with  animation  exclaimed  Lord f    u 

not  over-opulent  for  a  nnWo  »„  i  j        ■  ,  '  *'"' '"'  '^"a 

:P-.anonhisinr:1ri.^t"-X: 

molestation,  if  the  affair  .s  prudenH        T    ".  "'' ""' "'"""" 
«nd  with  me  are  quiet  "    P'"""™"?  «»■«>»<'«,  and  those  you 

"  What  value,  say  you  ?" 
"Twenty  thousand  pounds  " 

AuZ;'^:r;sSn;^^::  "•■'-■'  ?-  -y  ^o-. 

near  him.  ^    °  ""'  '"Keon  wh-  was  sea(».d 

offi«rs:nlt:w1u;ro';:n"'*:rr^''''™''''y'  -o  "■<= 

<•(  last  week."  '^        ""  '^'°"'  '""""g  possession 

"  Where  s.ay  you  this  treasure  is  hid  ?"  demanded  rt 
torn,  whose  iudiffcrcneo  had  given  „av  to  iT.  "'^^ 

acquisitiveness,  when  arousc,fwm  nL,  ?     '"  "^''^ 

lent  minds-even  in  th!!!  '  J  i  '^       ™  "■  "'"  "»<«'  i^do- 

poreeiain  ci;;;:rjrd  IT:',:! "  ™"  ""'^  •""  "^  o™ 
^^eiddrwh?""  ^r "' "'"'  '"^'"«-'°'  -." 

destitute  oftfithrpeirifrr:"""""''"''"^ 

prised  his  lordship.     •'  But  T  wni        .  *        "  '''™'"«^'  ""- 
diticn "        "        "»'  I  ™»  «!"''«  yon  to  it  only  „n  con- 

"  Condition  us  no  condit'oas  fellow  i   T.„         i 
not  used  to  be  dictated  to."  "         ^^  '''""'  ""  "« 

,    "U3  the  audible  remark  of  the  surgeon,  who  was 


76 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OB, 


fi 


amusing  himself  with  turning  a  wine  goblet  into  a  musical 
glass,  by  revolving  his  finger  wet  with  wine,  rapidly  round  the 
rm;  for  the  dinner  was  just  through.  ♦ 

"  Very  well,  my  lord  (for  I  hear  you  called  so),  I  can  keep 
my  own  counsel  I"  answered  Dirk  almost  savagely,  as  he 
turned  to  go. 

"  Stay,  fellow  !  Do  you  think  you  are  free  to  go  ?  You 
have  placed  yourself  in  my  power,  and  at  my  fingers'  move- 
ment you  are  in  chains,  a  prisoner ;  or  if  I  will  it,  turned  for- 
ward among  the  men,  a  pressed  seaman.  You  can  t  leave  the 
frigate  without  my  will !" 

''Nor  you  possess  my  secret  without  my  will." 

"  Send  him  to  make  acquaintance  wi*h  the  boats v\.an's  mate, 
my  lord."  said  the  surgeon. 

"  Nay,  Audley,"  responded  his  lordship  sotto  voce  ;  "  I  see  the 
fellow  is  game  !  There  is  no  use  driving  or  intimidating,  I  see. 
We  must  conciliate  bull  dogs,  not  bait  them,  or  we  shall  get 
worsted.  He  evidently  has  something  to  tell  us  wortb  the 
hearing.  We  will  humour  the  bear.  So,  what  then  is  thy 
condition  V 

"  That  you  keep  secret  the  source  from  which  you  get  your 
information " 

"That  I  am  willing  to  do." 

"  And  that  you  give  me  five  hundred  pounds  in  money  when 
you  shall  have  the  whole  in  your  possession." 

"So,  then,  it  is  avarice  that  hath  made  thee  play  traitor'/" 

"It  matters  not  what  motive,  my  lord." 

"  Very  well.  If  you  guide  my  boats'  crews  to  a  treasure 
of  bales  of  merchandise  worth  twenty  thousand  pounds,  your 
conditions  shall  be  agreed  to.    But  what  proof  have  I  that  you 

will  not  lead  my  people  into  a  trap  V  and  Lord  • fixed 

hia  usually  quiet  eye  upon  the  eyes  of  Dirk  Harder  with  the 
searchinc  gaze  of  the  war-oaKle. 


mE  rRiOATE    W  THE  orriNO.  „ 

"I  care  „„j  .^ '"''^'^ '«  toeachory.  Wiltcousent  toth■«?" 
Wot  two  hours'  rowing  " 
o/:Su"  ""'   ''^  "'  '"  "  ""^  '^"  «"•»  -■i  undercover 

Hethen^entt^Xto      1j    ,rt""^'  "■"  "°"-»- 
™l,  and  „,ade  inowf  to  thl  T,   '"'''"'■'••""^  "^  "■»  highest 

He  directed  four  boal  two  „fl  "  '=°'"»'»P'''W  expedition. 

-^«niyha.faboat.:r::;;iT:;:^:^-^^^^^^^^ 

-  leave  room  for  stowace    /It,  i  ''^"'' '"  ""^^r 

«W  to  go  in  one  of  fhe  btat  anT:' "  '"  '"""^^ '«'  '^'- 
to'he  first  lientenant,  to  whot  h  '"='''"  i»3tr„etiona 

P^'dition,  was,  to  gnard  thl  .  ^T  °"'"""*"''  "^  «'<=  «- 
<icath,  3ho„Id  tho/j:n  ,1  l^'^f  ""f^'  ""-^  P"'  hi-  to 
""chandise.     In  al    thirtV  '°"'^''  '"'"""^  "^  Anding 

•"^f  ch  the  «ig  witX:re^afrJ:^^"^'' 
wh.le  the  officer  went  on  deck  r  J,     n         ?■     ^^''*'-' 
P'ained  fully  the  direction  in  whie^  hTl     ,  T'^'  """  «- 
,     "It  iV  he  said,  "three  LTo    to  t.  '"  '''''  ""=  ^oatB- 

»"'J  from  the  Beacon  W  m  .""■''"""'  "^  «■«  %; 

'""mall  creek,amne  "  J"^  '".f  '"'""  '""''  -"'J"«' 
Iwould advise  tlatTe «Ll l""  *'"  T'"''^^  »"  »ole. 
"  Is  there  deep  wuerTt!    I     T' ""'  '■°'^'  "'  P"''*''''-" 
,    ."Twenty  fath™  IV  ::  X  "'''"'  ''''  '"'^^^■ 
«■'"  ''"e,  sir,  a  long  pnCrnd  outr.^    "  """  '^^'  ^^ 
"That  is  true       a  '^°''  ""o  boats." 

ai  18  true.     Are  you  a  pilot?" 

1  Jtuow  every  part  of  these  w»t.„.»  „,. ,_  . .     . 
*«  iiigato  in  and  out  "  "" '  ^         '     ^  "••»"  *«l« 


if     "' 


"■  "^ 


I 


F 


78 


NORVEL  HASTINGS  ;   OR, 


"  It  is  a  risk  to  trust  you  I" 

"  My  life  shall  answer  for  it,  if  I  do  not  steer  her  safely." 

"  What  is  your  life  to  the  safety  of  this  noble  vessel  ?" 

"My  life  is  all  to  me  r 

"  True.  I  will  trust  you ;  but  we  will  trust  the  lead,  also. 
Mr.  Bentley,  how  are  the  men  getting  on  with  repairing 
damages  ?" 

"  The  top'gallant  yard  is  across,  sir,  and  all  as  complete  as 
before  the  squall ;"  answered  the  second  lieutenant,  who  that 
moment  came  to  the  door  of  the  state-room. 

''Very  well  I  Make  sail  on  the  frigate,  and  lay  in  for  the 
land.  I  will  be  on  deck  in  a  moment.  This  young  man  will 
stand  by  the  helmsman,  and  direct  the  course  of  the  frigate; 
but  depend  most  on  your  leads,  and  keep  two  men  in  the 
chains.'' 

In  a  fev7  minutes,  the  frigate  was  in  motion,  and  slowly 
ploughing  her  way  over  the  star-sparkling  seas,  towards  the 
opening  between  the  Beacon  Head  and  the  cliflf  east  of  it.   Tlio 
night  was  now  so  far   advanced,  that  the  land  looked  like 
masses  of  cloud  ahead ;  but  a  distant  light  trembled  from  the 
midst  of  the  heavy  shadow,  which  Harder,  as  he  directed  tlie 
course  of  the  ship,  knew,  shone  from  one  of  the  front  rooms 
of  the  villa.     As  the  frigate  came  more  under  the  land,  this 
light  was  hidden ;  and  soon  afterwards,  the  noble  ship  passed 
between  the  headlands  with  a  "deep  lead  line,"  and  came  to 
anchor  within  a  mile  of  the  inlet,  just  as  nine  o'clock  was 
struck  by  the  bell  in  the  warehouse  turret,  two  miles  farther 
north  of  her  anchorage.     On   ship-board,  however,  all  was 
silent,  even  to  muffling  the  strokes  of  the  half-hour  bell. 

"You  have  brought  us  in  handsomely,"  said  the  captain  to 
Harder.  "I  have  more  confidence  in  you  I  You  will  now  go 
in  the  leading  boat  with  me,  for  I  have  resolved  to  lead  the 
expedition.     What  mansion  is  that  seen  indistinctly  on  the 

heicrht  of  lanrl  a.  m\](\  nr  an  In  i\>a  x^^^i  9>> 

c;  -     _ —    ..,,    ^„j.    ^.^^.    •rrvav  ; 

"That  is  the  Manager's." 


THE  FBIOAIE  IN   TM   OFFINO.  79 

^J- Poor  u.a„  .-  I  fea.  he  wU.  ^  M.3e,f  a  W  b,  thi.  wa,, 

frigate,  no  «b"  !l)»;i':i  ?''"«'  ^''.-%  ''ft  *he 
that  the  inlet  was  clear  and  '  ^*  '  "■""  '"  ^'  *°  ^^ 
threaten  a  diJverr/nTi        TT  ""^""'"S  *•«"  "igh* 

...i.<.  wena:::2.,t  t^:^  :"^,t  '-^ 

iu  the  first  part  of  the  precedin?!!  ?^  "  """^"'J  *» 
two  marines  to  wateh  fe S  a'dtr'  '""  "'''^'">"^-' 
run  in  under  her  jib  sIowW  but^M       T^""""-     ^'"^  ^«''''' 

.i.e  -;.ht  was,  je  thtm::  :r  nr  xif  -' 

vcrsat^on  the  officer  had  with  Dirk  a,  they  we  e  slilin?  I 
removed  from  his  mind  all  susnicinn  „f      T      i  ^  *'™8' 
only  feared  that  somethil  ST  ''"'^^'"'^»'  »d  he    ■ 

<;o.a  bein,  reached  bytCI  uTdllrr  ^  W  t'^ 
nil  sure,  he  proposed,  as  they  reached^!  ,    '"  "^^^ 

should  embark  with  him  Tn^^  14  '  ""'""  "■''''  "»*  •«« 
river  to  the  w^hou  e  T  ;'•'"'  ""'  ".»"  ""  ""»  -■«'™g 
™uldnotobjerand  atthlVS-     ^^ff  «»«y  ""urse  Dirk 

^l^iff  leaking  badiv  .^7  "^^^-«^outh,  and  here,  the 

xtdKing  badly,  the  two  men  were  compelled  to  nn/f  n^ 

«...a  .ocrecy  of  the  inlet  began  to  awaken  .'uspL       tuZ 

m.  to  resolve  to  see  with  his  own  eyes  whethf   he  L." 

an    goods  were  a  reality,  or  only  a  fiction  invented  by  treZ! 

"Wnod  ""  w"  "^i;'!','  "'  "T"  '""  "'"  *■''  "■'*?'«  of  on'  story 

iof  e::t:ti;t;:r--'  ^^"-^"  -  '^^  --■« 


80 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  skiff  wound  its  way  in  darkness  along  the  windings  of 
the  little  river,  and  without  further  interchange  oi  words 
between  the  two  persons  in  it,  the  lieutenant  and  Dirk  Harder, 
until  an  abrupt  bend  of  the  river  brought  them  in  full  sight 
of  the  tower  and  dark  walls  of  the  huge  warehouse.  A  light 
gleamed  in  a  lantern  that  always  hung  in  the  brick  arch  that 
led  from  the  mole  into  the  yard  of  the  building. 

"  There^  sir  I"  pointed  Harder  in  the  direction  of  the  ware- 
house and  pier ;  "  I  have  deceived  you,  have  I  ?  As  it  is  for 
no  love  for  you  that  I  have  guided  you  here,  I  wouldn't  take 
the  trouble  to  do  you  good  or  evil.  I  hope  you  are  satisfied 
now?" 

"  Yes,  as  well  as  I  can  see  by  the  star-light,  the  buildings 
are  large ;  and  if  they  are  full  of  bales,  it  will  be  a  rich  haul !" 

"  Don't  speak  so  loud !  wc  may  be  observed ;  and  as  a  ship 
of  war  is  known  to  be  near,  watch  will  be  kept.  Lie  close  and 
keep  quiet,  and  I  will  paddle  in  and  look  about,  and  see  th  t 
all  is  safe  for  the  barges  to  come  up."  This  was  said  in  an 
under  tone,  and  at  the  same  moment  he  drove  the  skiff  to  the 
stairs  of  the  quay.  It  was  much  lighter  here  than  it  had 
been  in  the  river  below,  as  the  water  was  not  shaded  by  trees. 
Harder  leaped  ashore,  but  the  officer  was  at  his  side  with  \m 
pistol  at  his  breast. 

'•  What  now  I"  doiuandcd  Dirk,  suUcnly. 


windings  of 
ge  oi  words 
)irk  Harder, 
in  full  sight 
36.  A  light 
ck  arch  that 

of  the  ware- 
As  it  is  for 
ouldn't  take 
are  satisfied 

le  buildings 
rich  haul !" 
nd  as  a  ship 
Aq  close  and 
and  see  th  t 
1  said  in  an 
skiff  to  the 
than  it  had 
led  by  trees. 
ide  with  his 


THE  FMOATE  W  THE  OfFlNO.  gj 

How  do  I  k„„„  but  there  ma vL  fi      ?      f  "^  ""  "^'^  '"■'t 

'ho  boats !  It  is  a  part      a      w*""'  '"  P"™"^  "P"'- 
Pioious.     So  take  no  offence  !"  "''  '"  '''"  '»  ^^  «"«- 

"  ^  ""  W'"'ng  you  should  ioen  a,  <•?„.„  , 
answered  Harder,  moodilv      "  Tf  1  ""' "'  ^■™  P''^"*-" 

i"  this  matter,  I  w„uM  ^  _,,./;  ^  »«;;^  "«'  serving  myself 

"f  any  of  the  usual  labourer!  of  h"  f  "  '■'"S'"™e  P-'^^-^'^co 
walked  quite  around  the  walls  and  H^"'  ''?'"'°'"-  ^''°^ 
E..glish  olfieer  the  bales  Id  L  ,   f  P"'""""  ™' '»  "'o 

of  the  Projeetingroof  L  :ilTb'  1  ""  ""'"'  "''  »"- 
wliich  was  unlocked.  ^  '^^^  ''''"■'« """"io"  lattice, 

"This  is  strange,"  said  Harder. 
iVhat  13  strange  ?" 

"  To  find  this  unlocked      Mr  n     i , 

clerk,  is  usually  very  careful  !L    '"f,  7"'"''  "''"  '"  ""=  ''oad 

havelefttheplLto'n; It:,!'?:    r''  '"'  ''"  '-"^  '» 
"It  .nay  be  a  trap  ..f"'°"'P''°''''="<»"'».-J'our  benefit." 

:^ei::tr^^^^^^^ 

"'  this  war  without  fightinc     bJT       'f''™'  '"  «'^'  "'""« 
«c  that  the  way  is  open    "ai,   ,„  T  """''  ""'  '"''  '"'"'■    I 

>-  boat.  andLn  rnd'taktlT  r;!!"'  "T  ''"'  7  ' 
India  goods   n  this  end  of  fl,«  i       ^  "^^^^  ^^^'^  the 

-  the  English  andtre:?;ruttr^^^^^  ^^"^  ^^^^ 
^^ntre  are  spices,  su^rars  &;  1^  .  ^^' ''^^'°^-  ^'i  the 
Indies.-  '      ^    '^  '^'•'  ^^«r:^tfamg  from    the   West 

;; Enough!   Now  let  us  return.- 

^^ot  so  noisily.     Thnro  ».,,,  u.  .. 
.'   Mr.  Finl,^;n,:  i.„  .  VV,'  '"'-^.^^  ^"^°  ^^'^"t  who  w 


VI 


t\  j»] 


UfJ 


i^iclding  has  full  one  hund 


hear 


i-ed  men  in  his  employ^ 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;    OR, 

who  live  scattered  about  his  estate,  and  a  tap  of  the  bell  would 
rouse  them  to  the  rescue  I" 

"  Fair  and  softly  then,  my  lad  !   "We  will  walk  like    '.r.tr  : 
Here  is  our  boat.     In,  and  let  us  hasten  down  to  the  bar;  o  " 

In  much  less  time  than  the  skiff  had  taken  to  ascenu  i\c 
river,  it  descended  to  its  embouchure  into  the  inlet.  Roxe  t)\r 
xebec  and  the  five  boats  wer-  all  drawn  up,  the  men  lyir  . 
their  oars.  The  lieutenant  reported  to  the  captain  of  the  fri- 
gate what  he  had  seen;  and  orders  were  at  once  given  to 
advance  up  the  river.  The  xebec  was  towed  by  one  of  the 
boats,  as  her  open  deck  would  render  her  serviceable  in  stow- 
ing the  anticipated  plunder.  The  captain  took  the  lead  in  his 
gig  rowed  by  four  men.  In  it  was  Harder  acting  as  guide, 
while  the  lieutenant  who  had  been  his  companion,  took  com- 
mand of  the  next  boat  immediately  astern. 

After  a  little  more  than  half  an  hour's  silent  rowing,  the 
warehouse  with  its  tower,  the  quay,  and  the  cliff  above,  were 
all  in  sight.  One  after  another  the  boats  came  up  and  landed 
at  the  mole,  and  the  whole  party  disembaiked  with  arms  in 
their  hands;  for  the  English  captain,  who  had  fairly  entered' 
into  the  spirit  of  the  expedition,  omitted  no  healthy  precau- 
tions against  surprise.  Men  were  stationed  on  the  cliff,  at  the 
head  of  the  road,  and  on  four  sides  of  the  warehouse,  to  watch 
against  sudden  surprise,  and  to  give  alarm,  should  any  signs 
of  an  ambush  be  discovered.  These  precautions  were  dis- 
pleasing to  Dirk  Harder,  whose  vanity  was  not  a  little  humbled 
by  such  open  suspicion  of  his  integrity.  But  he  swallowed 
his  resentments,  and  chewed  the  cud  of  his  revenge,  of  which 
like  their  master,  he  was  making  the  English  the  instruments. 

We  will  not  delay  the  reader  with  a  particular  account  of 
the  proceedings  of  the  next  four  hours  upon  the  quay  and  iu 
the  warehouse.  Let  it  suffice  to  say,  that  Mr.  David  Crackle- 
wood  would  have  been  greatly  amazed  had  he  witnessed  the 
celerity  with  which  the  plethoric  warehouse  was  emptied,  and 


I 


THE   PHiflATE   ly   THE   OFFINO  gg 

Wales,  tho  x.CZt^d  CvTi'^tr  f  "^'  '"  ''^^  ^""- 
noWo  captain  did  „.t  disdaLTo  .ti  '"tf  i"',"™  ""^ 
g'g,  sundry  baskets  of  costly  wines  tUt  T  ,'','\™'''='-"-^<l 
the  festive  board  of  the  govern  r„f  cld  .'''™  ^''^^ 
»d  packages  of  Canton  LpcsTnd"  B^^ :Sik:''  '  ''"  """^ 
•The  videttes  were  now  called  in  th    u    . 

i»t"  the  strcan.,  and  floated  dot";  ^  'Z1T7  'T"^'  ""' 
SO  heavily  crowded  iUi  ^^^'  ^^^'  *^ey  were 

wstije  tClt  rf:;;r::d"ii:-"^%  ^^  »- 

and  a  second  expedition  of  four  bo!,!  i  ^'f  ""S<"'  '"to  it, 
before  day  loaded  with  th  laTtbll^l  '"^  ""''^'  "^'^  J"'^' 
merchandise  which  had  been  so  ctf  n  T'T'^  "'""'  "'''' 
-t.. asportation  by  s^l^^^^^^^^^^ 

-!l:  wl^tr  ,r:  :iSf h^''  r  f  '^^'  '-^'  ">" 

hasten  matters  ^         " '''™''  """  '^d  them  to 

''n:zarLzL^:;:^^ ''^'■'' ^^^  ^^^^^ 
4::f:t;;nttr-:^^^^^^^^ 

rang  out  .ts  loud  and  quick  notes  of  alarum  -  "  "'™' 

the  oCr  rtrand":" th"7"7  '"'''  "^  '""^ '"  "="--<• 
;i'oady  some  TZZ^'XtZ-    "^ ;rr  """« 

S:  rBe^:;-:'  ^oi; ::  71 '- ^  ^-'  Vi::;^ 

-utjiiu  10  your  oars  like  t  gers  '    Thnf  Ja  u  f 
move  merrily !    What  a  clatter  thaf  bell  make  ,    We"^  ": 
ha-  tbe  whole  country  about  our  ears!"  ^'  ^'f 

ine  barge.  Dronollprl  h.r  „:„i.x  .. 

iskotshnf  frn.;;  "*\"'  "^"'  "''''^'  "^^^  ^''''"  '^^>^^»^  reach 
shot  from  the  quay,  and  in  a  few  seconds  disap. 


of 


Ml 


,r  •" 


ii 


84 


NORVEL  Hastings;  or, 


I 


peared  round  a  turn  of  tlie  river.  The  fower  bell  still  rung 
out  its  hurried  peals,  ever  and  anon  mingled  with  a  terrible 
cry,  in  a  voice  which  sounded,  to  the  ears  of  Harder,  who 
was  in  the  last  boat,  like  that  ol  David  Cracklewuod.  There 
were  no  articulate  words,  only  a  wild  terrific  yell,  as  if  the 
utterer  were  under  the  influence  of  mortal  terror  and  surprise. 

It  was  the  voice  of  David,  and  it  was  his  hand  that  was 
making  such  a  clatter  with  the  warehouse  bell ;  but  all  too 
late  to  do  any  good.     It  will  be  remembered  by  the  reader 
that  the  evening  before,  he  was  in  Mr.  Fielding's  little  back 
parlour,  drinking  a  glass  or  so  to  the  confirmation  of  the  great 
bargain  and  sale  which  had  been  mutually  transacted  between 
them.     For  purposes  of  his  own,  Mr.  Fielding  plied  him 
closely  with  glass  after  glass,  until  the  effect  which  he  sought 
to  produce  in  the  brain  of  hi,s  chief  clerk  was  realized.     After 
the  seventh  glass,  David's  wits  grew  muddled,  and  he  made 
himself  \cry  foolish,  told  his  secrets,  and  professed  to  have 
been  a  dangerous  man  in  his  youth.     The  eighth  glass  placed 
him  quie^^y  on  the  carpet,  with  his  head  on  the  seat  of  his 
chair,  and  his  body  in  a  state  of  profound  tipsy  repose. 

"  That  is  a>'  Z  would  have  him  !  He  is  quiet  for  the  night !" 
remarked  the  scheming  manager.  "Now  I  am  free  to  act, 
without  his  prying  nose  into  all  my  movements.  If  I  am  a 
friend  to  England,  and  a  foe  to  the  Yankees,  it  is  not  safe 
just  now  to  blab  it,  A  wise  man  will  keep  his  own  secret 
when  his  head  is  in  danger.  I  will  trust  nobody;  not  c\cn 
my  child  !  So  !  Lay  there,  Master  Cracklewood,  till  morn- 
ing !" 

IT3  then  left  the  room,  locked  the  door,  and  walked  into  a 
room  opposite,  with  the  candle  in  his  hand.  Here  was  a 
liandHome  Chinese  secretary,  at  which  he  seated  himself;  and 
then,  taking  from  his  pocket  some  papers  (the  same  ho  had 
held  in  his  hand  when  we  first  beheld  him,  pacing  up  and 
down  the  gallery),  and  began  lo  re-read  them  carefully.     We 


'-»^^»ti-»»fc,rt»' 


THE   FRIGATE   IN   THi,   oi^Fim.  g^ 

ml]  look  over  his  shoulder-  hnf  f?    * 
reader's  eye,  a  letter  w  "tte;  bv  h       T  ^^"  '^^^^  ^^  ^h'^' 
which  the  one  he  now ^1;,  in  h"       ^  T'^  '^^^^'^^  '^ 
brought  to  him  b.  Master  wLtl^^^^^^  "'"'.  ^^^  ^-- 

paulin,  who  came  and  went  !o  ?'  •  ^^^''^  ^^  *^^  ^^r- 
looking  Halifax  seudder  boa  w  "^^^^^^^^^  ^"  ^^^  ^'^-- 
thus  :-  '  ^'^*>  ^^«  ^  reply.     The  letter  ran 

To  Sir  George  - _^    ^'^^^^^o's  Bav,  Maine,  Aug.  _,  i8i2. 

^f!"iral  of  the  Red,  Halifax. 
My  dear  Sir  George,  - 

It  is  years  since  we  mef  in  T  ^^a 
i"ti.e  state,  h.  not  r„d:ed  :  II,'':  ^ /»^  ^i-" 
rton  you  knew  me.  and  les,  obliviourof  "  v  f    ^'"''"  l"""' 
war,  which  has  just  broken  n„.  I.  ,  .  ^  '^"™'''-     ^'''x 

Majesty,  crown  has  pLeea  ,      w  ra",!' "^  ''''"'''  ""'"  •"•' 
possesion,  in  a  very  unpiea J  't  "p^i^  "  ^^J^^^  -  -y 

wi*  it  a  cu^ay  and  p    t  of    o  !"'"'"  T  "'™'  ^  '=<«'°-'^-J 
greatly  enriched      !Zjf  T         "'  ^^  *'™''  ^  ''^  been 

)«"i"g  of;  and  as  the  VnW,  ?f  ""  "PP"'"'"'^  "f  ««»- 
I  may  lo.^  it  ail-that  i'  T'  "'"P'^''' '"°  "^  ""-yi^"'. 
i-  tete,  and  leave  .t  I  '  I  T"'^""'  *"  '^"™  "'«  -™'r; 
-  «>.  arc  V  rv  „n  1  1'  '"'""■  "  ''""'^  I'"  ''"rfe"™! ;  or, 

V » 4r:irsC:hr„r  ^■™'  "•  'r -"  '^^ 

-Poil  »u.  Of  „„  ,„y  weatir'Thoc":  ;":;■"•"'■  '■""''  """ 
''■•••lion,  and  Iwr  you  will  in«t„„.i  "■"  ^'""'  J"'"- 

"«''  ;-ei,  you  had  ..st  let  he:t:r Pniif:; ::::,;: 


111 


86 


NORVEL   HASTINGS:   OR, 


I 


port  to  hold  the  goods.  T  will  personally  remunerate  you  for 
any  inconvenience  or  expense  you  may  be  at  in  executing  my 
wishes.  As  I  may  at  any  moment  be  visited  by  an  English 
crm'ser,  some  of  which  I  hear  it  reported  are  in  Massachusetts 
Bay,  I  wish  you  would  send  me  by  the  bearer,  under  safe  seal, 
an  English  Protection  that  may  save  me  from  spoliation  from 
aiiy  of  your  ships;  and  before  the  Yankees  make  up  their 
minds  to  trouble  me,  I  hope  to  be,  with  all  my  possessions,  in 
security  on  the  deck  of  an  English  man-of-war. 
I  have  the  honour  to  1  :;,  &c.  &c. 

Your  friend  and  countryman, 

Canning  Fielding. 

This  letter  was  sent  to  Halifax  by  a  Newfoundland  fisher- 
man, who  promised,  for  large  pay,  to  place  it  in  the  hands  of 
the  English  admiral.     The  reply,  however,  was  despatched  by 
a  Halifax  man,  especially  selected  by  the  admiral.     We  have 
seen  this  personage  under  the  tarpaulin  hat,  and  witnessed  the 
nervous  solicitude  of  Mr.  Fielding  to  get  him  off  again  before 
he  could  have  any  communication  with  his  dependents;  for  at 
such  a  time,  the  story  that  the  Manager  was  corresponding 
with  Halifa* would  have  flown  with  wings  over  the  surround- 
ing country ;  and  the  suspicious  at  which  he  hinted  in  his 
letter  would  have  ripened  into  the  certainty  of  his  English 
predilections ;  in  which  case,  he  would,  most  certainly,  have 
become  a  victim  to  popular  feeling ;  we  do  not  moan  murdered, 
but  compelled  to  leave  the  country,  in  which  case,  the  result  lie 
apprehended  wouM  have  followed,  the  forfeiture  of  his  j,<.>ods. 

We  will  now  look  over  Mr.  Fielding's  H^'ouldvi"  and  read 
tho  reply  brought  that  day  by  Westcap.  * 

Hio  Majesty's  Phip,  Behnnoth,) 
Halifat,  Aug.  — ,  1812.     ) 
Canning  Fielding,  Esq. : 

Sir — Your  letter  came  safely.    Tao  j  • .  tectiot.  you  ilmrc 
you  will  find  enclosed.     The  frigate  Euphro.syne,  :>uioh  is  now 


lELDING. 


THE   miGATE   IN   THE   OFFIVa  g; 

congratulate  you  „„  yo„r  adl„..l  .  ^  ^  ''  "'^"'''^'  "J 
™»y  yea„  abode  iuT " t  "  A  "';"^^="S'»<i  "&.•  so 
whip  the  Yaukocs,  and  thov  w    'l  "  *''  "''  ^"^  ^''"'l 

and  Portland,  t;o  key      i      '    "",  ?'™  "^  ^^""- O''-'''"^ 
C«adas),  to  have  poacj.  ^        '"""^  ^^P""'""^  ">  our 

Your  daughter  has  doubtless  grown  to  b„  »  f 
so,  commend  an  old  sailor  to  1.1^1       .      """""'•     ^'' 
-%  in  the  course  of  two  or  Ite  l!X^  ll  ^""  "'' 

Yours,  & ...  &c., 

«r';.  .-n  the  m  ::;'--;-  "'^  -.-es,,  ships 

»  -ident  some  fe:  „!„?':  t,d'"""!Z'^"'"«'  ^^'^•' 
a  loyal,  leal,  and  faithfu  s^ltrfll"!  ^f^' """"''' " 
''"cby  eommanded  to  oxt.„  tf  ,•  .  '^''•'"'"^'  y™  «■■« 
IWtish  subject  e„  an  enemy"  sjil  t'r:  .^  -'7'™"°"  '""  '^  " 
"■■  !"•»  goods,  or  his  i„te,«h    I™    „    7,  "'  "'•""■'"«  •■"'' 

-'  aiding  him  in  an;:::^;:'::' ™  rc;:!r:.f  ^^^ 

.your  assistance.  "  "*''3^  rcfjuire 

"  '^  A  V"lt .'"'  'T'  •\"''  ^'■^''  '"^  -  *'^  <"  August, 

""■'*^'-"^'*'''^^'AiiK,,,Ad,„iraUc," 

wb;hS:«jt^.X:i,,r"' '-  "■»  '"^^^ «-- 

-*d  of  their  aee:rae;t;:r;UX':,r^^^^ 
N-   <h.-      '0  these  ,«pers,  land  mine  are  „ife!   AnJ 


88 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


«     i 


the  frigate  is  already  in  the  ofl&ng !  It  must  be  the  Euphro- 
syne,  or  why  is  she  here  ?  I  am  as  certain  of  it  as  if  I  had 
been  on  hoard  of  her.  And  every  moment  I  expect  to  hear 
that  a  boat  is  landed.  One  would,  no  doubt,  have  come  oif 
before  dark,  but  they  have  no  doubt  been  cautioned  by  the 
admiral  not  to  compromise  me.  So  they  wait  till  night. 
Hark  !  I  thought  I  heard  a  man's  footfall  in  the  hall.  It  is 
Pedro.  But  I  suppose  they  will  wait  till  late,  when  they 
can  send  a  boat  in  without  observation.  I  will  be  patient ! 
Cracklewood  is  too  sound  to  be  in  the  way  if  they  should  want 
to  begin  to  remove  the  goods  from  the  warehouse  for  me  to- 
night. I  will  walk  out  and  watch  from  the  cliff,  and  see  if 
there  is  any  sign  of  a  boat  coming  to  the  land." 

With  this  intention  he  placed  the  protection  and  other 
papers  carefully  in  the  secretary  locked  it  and  put  the  key 
secretly  under  a  heavy  vase  on  a  marble  table,  and  went  out. 
It  was  already  night.  The  last  glow  of  the  western  sky  was 
fivding  into  the  deep  blue-black  of  the  rest  of  the  heavens. 
All  -as  still  about  iha  house,  and  no  one  was  seen  even  in 
tl  ving-if)oni,  the  open  door  of  which  he  had  passed  in 

g  at  of  the  villa.     Ho  gave  a  momentai-y  thought  to  the 

absence  of  Mary,  of  Hetty,  and  his  own  servant  Pedro;  and 
then  hurried  onward,  glad  that  he  had  no  one  of  them  to 
observe  him.  He  walked  on  until  he  reached  the  path  which 
conducted  to  the  bay  shore,  and  here  he  stood  and  gazed  peer- 
ingly  into  the  darkness  that  veiled  the  sea.  He  could  see  no 
object  moving.  He  listened,  there  was  no  sound  of  oars 
coming  up  to  him  from  the  water.  lie  descended  the  patli 
and  walked  along  the  beach,  carefully  listening  and  watching 
as  he  went ;  for  that  the  strange  frigate  waf  uie  one  to  be 
sent  to  him  by  the  admiral,  hud  fully  taken  poss  .,ion  of  his 
mind;  and  perhaps  very  naturally  too,  when  the  unusual  coin- 
cidence of  the  presence  of  the  Hellespont  in  the  oiling  willi 
the  lookcd-for  l'ki]>rosyne  is  taken  into  view. 


THE  FRIGATE   IN   THE   OFriNG.  39 

listened  at  the  doo,  arevrLott:r;;;?^:i"-  ""^ 

awake,  or  his  sou  had  returned      But  I  "  ™ 

Ho  would  have  asked  them  ■fa.ytJZ"  "?°""- 
iu  the  offiuff  for  •  L„t  ,•»„„;  •  !  '"  '^''K"*'^  ™s 

of  looking  fo?:  «k  ff  ud  ?Mr  '""'■'  '"  ''""'^S'"  '"■» 
tln-ough  tie  strait;i'':'e  f1  '1^ uet"  '"'f"'  [''' 
coming  iu.  But  Krk  had  taken  1^1  '^P'i  "™"  ^' 
then  thought  he  would  elimb  the  Zconff'  „!'■■/"'"'"« 
of  the  sea  from  there      Thi,  i,l    T^     .  '  "''" " ""''' 

the  top  with  some  diffieuU       Z  hi"       ^  ^'■"''  ""'  ^"""''' 

when  he  saw  the  dark  foi-.u  „f  n "      'T  ?' ™''™°''^'' 
hcneith  hi,n  ,„„  •      "".J"""  "'  "«>  fr'gate  almost  directly 
^cneatl  h„„  movmg  w,th  stately  motion  into  the  bay      Hi, 
joy  at   h,s  s,ght  was  unbounded  !    He  rubbed  his  hands  wTt 
m-'.o„,  and  audibly  pronounced  encomiums  on  the  f  iln 
^h.p  and  patriotism  of  his  friend  the  admiral,  in  so  promntlv 
com.ng  to  h,s  relief     He  felt  thankful  the  ftisatc°had  come 
IU  so  secretly  by  night.  ^ 

J'Tbis  is  as  it  should  be!-  he  said;  «this  is  as  I  would 
h.'^     t!     I  wtll  now  hasten  home  to  receive  the  captain  for 
doubtless  he  will  come  to  anchor,  and  come  to  land  to    o „ fa     ■ 
with  me.     Admirable  Admiral  Parks !" 

With  these  words  he  walked  as  briskly  homeward  alnn„ 
the  top  of  the  cliff,  as  the  darkness  of  the  night  ridp'ertu' 
»nd  fcquent  y  stopping  to  „b.,erve  the  obscure  form  of  "^ 
»h.p-of-war  which  advanced  as  he  advanced.  By  ,he  tin  el 
reached  the  vilU,  the  frigate  anchored  a  mile  frit  and 

he      led  to       .""      '■'",'""  '""'='  ""'""'  "'"^  »""  "hilo 
a  h<F°f '"";,"'  "","  •'^-''  ™J  ^""'  ""-c  to  receive 

1 1  .         f  "'""'  """^  '"'"'■     I  "'»  >>«  t'-fo  to  meet 

'1.™.;  and  .,e,.dc.,,  it  will  be  safer  for  me  to  hold  my  eonf 


t  li 


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Miiiilllll 


ill 


90 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


I 


!^i 


ence  there  than  here ;  for  I  do  not  wish  to  trust  any  of  my 
household  with  the  secret  that  I  have  held  communication  with 
a  frigate  of  the  enemy." 

He  was  once  more  pacing  anxiously  up  and  down  the  sands, 
sometimes,  in  his  impatience,  stepping  into  the  very  waves 
which  flowed  about  his  feet.  At  length,  after  waiting  full  two 
hours  without  seeing  or  hearing  any  signs  of  a  boat,  he  deter- 
mined to  take  a  small  boat  that  belonged  to  William  Gardner's 
lugger,  and  board  the  frigate.  He  got  into  it  with  one  oar, 
and  shoving  off,  sculled  himselx  out  into  the  bay.  Nearer  and 
nearer  he  came  to  it,  and  even  could  make  out  the  masts  and 
spars,  when  an  unfortunate  misstep  in  looking  round,  caused 
him  to  lose  his  balance,  in  endeavouring  to  recover  which  he 
lost  llis  oar.  It  darted  beyond  his  reach,  and  in  the  darkness 
it  could  not  be  seen,  even  if  he  had  any  way  to  make  progress 
towards  it.  He  saw  at  once  the  peril  and  helplessness  of  his 
situation.  The  tide  was  at  its  ebb,  and  the  boat  began  to  drift 
seaward  with  its  alarmed  occupant.  He  rose,  and  shouted  and 
waved  his  hat  to  the  frigate,  but  darkness  and  distance  ren- 
dered both  signs  of  distress  alike  undistiuguishablc.  Steadily, 
irreversibly,  wave  over  wave  the  little  boat  swung  oceanward. 
Fainter  grew  the  outlines  of  the  frigate ;  fainter  became  the 
square  form  of  the  villa  on  the  distant  cliff-top ;  nearer  drew 
the  ruined  height  of  Beacon  tower,  and  louder  sounded,  and 
louder  still,  the  moan  of  the  surge  on  the  outside.  Mr.  Field- 
ing wrung  his  hands  with  despair !  He  believed  he  should  ho. 
borne  for  ever  away  from  all  his  wealth,  from  his  daughter, 
from  life.  As  the  boat  drifted  past  the  Beacon  point,  he  ele- 
vated his  voice  hoarsely,  and  called,  witli  almost  frenzied 
emphasis, 

"  Nan — good  witch— good  mother  Nan  !  Help !  help  !  It 
is  rae — Mr.  Fielding — me  !  the  Manager !  Oh,  send  and  give 
the  alarm  !  Tell  William  Gardner  !  Tell  Dirk  Harder !  Tell 
anybody  to  come  after  me  I   I  will  give  a  hundred  pounds!   I 


THE  rniaATE  ra  rs^  o„,,.„ 

I  shall  die  of  thirst!  Gtrth;"  , '"'' '  ^  ^'"'"  "'""el 
Imndred  pounds!  Help!  Noonri  '  ^'»' ^''''"  have  two 
-  asleep!  Help!  > Joy !   Hdn  '  T  T  ^''»  "^ -^-f '  She 

The  ground-swell  now  lifteT  f  " ,?  ''  .  '■"•"  !'"'»''  •'" 
hroad  baeks  and  teed  It  ,£    ^  !  f'""  '™' »"  "■«■> 

ing  it  farther  from  the  land  •  CtTT'  '""^  '"°™"><=nt  send- 
laces,  in  despair  gazed  round  on  he  W  T'  "'''  """"  '""  >''« 
far,  far  off  heaven,  heard,  appILd  ,t  t  T"'  '"'^'^  ™  *''^ 
-■gos,  and  beat  his  breas  rlif"  ^r'""^  ""''  "'  ""^ 
"%  child!  n,y  goods!  mvehl^T  m^" """""*"■ 
™e!  Bj  morning  I  shall  be  nfilet  I  "  ""'  ''^'=»""'  of 

tl>e  boat !  there  was  no,  e  n  t  wh  7"""""  ""^'^  '^  '^""^  in 
I' leaks!  I  shall  sink!  Merov  !  '  ^°' '"'»  " ''  I"«*-' 
merchant  fell  on  his  knees  and'ratd  S  "^  *''^  ™'-  '"^ 
all  he  could  utter  was  that  ZTT>^  '"^'  '°  ^V;  but 

fatens  on,  "Give  me  this  dav  »v  ^    ,  K"^'"  "™""^  """^t 
Wed  his  face  in  his  hands  a^d  lit '"""•'     "»  "- 


'Mil 


92 


NORVEL   HASTINGS:   OR 


; 


li 


CHAPTER  TX. 

Leaving  the  tory  Manager  drifting  ocean-ward  in  his  frail 
bark,  more  helpless,  with  all  his  wealth,  than  the  poorest 
fisher's  lad  would  have  been  in  like  circumstances,  we  will  now 
return  to  the  villa  and  to  David  Cracklewood,  in  order  to 
explain  his  sudden  appearance  at  the  warehouse  just  before 
dawn. 

David,  all  unused  to  tablo  indulgences,  slept  long  and 
heavily,  slept  until  he  had  thrown  off  the  effects  of  his  bibous 
indulgences,  when  with  a  stretch  and  a  sigh  he  awoke,  feeling 
very  badly  about  the  temples,  a  little  feverish  and  dizzy.  He 
nevertheless  got  to  his  feet,  and  tried  to  ascertain  where  lie 
was.  At  first  he  believed  himself  in  his  counting-room,  but 
a  moment's  reflection  brought  to  his  mind  that  his  last  con- 
sciousness was  experienced,  wine-glass  in  hand,  in  the  little 
back  parlour  of  the  Manager. 

"I'm  here  noo  then  and  nao  meestake,"  he  said  audibly. 
"  This  is  unco  wrang  doings,  IMuister  Deevid  Cracklewood,  for 
sic  a  respectabeel  mon  as  ye  are.  Here  I  've  made  a  dai't 
bcastie  o'  myscl',  an'  i'  the  Manager's  own  hoose.  He's  gano 
aff  to  bed  and  left  me  to  sleep  aff  my  wine.  It 's  weel  ashame' 
ye  ought  to  be,  Deevid  !  I  '11  een  get  aff  as  easy  as  I  can  and 
slip  doon  to  the  warehouse  !  Wha  kens  what  o'clock  it  niiglit 
be  ?  I  ha'  left  my  watch,  an"  if  I  had  it  it's  too  dark  to  specr 
the  hoor.     It  canua  be  late,  though.     Here 's  the  window; 


THE  FRIBATE   IN   THE   OPFtiXa.  93 

»>.J  I  '11  }H  dip  oot  and  walk  to  the  counting-room  •  and  in 
the  n,ornn,  tell  Maister  Fielding  hi.  south  win^'af^ 
«ny  for  a  weak  North  eountrie  head  like  mine !  Ah,  Deevid  " 
he  added  sokmnly,  as  he  erawlcd  out  of  the  wiudo;  "ye  ha 
iiiak  yoursol'  a  brute  beastie !"  >     J>.  aa 

When  he  got  out  he  took  his  way  straisht  to  the  warehouse 
h,.s  steps  qujekened  by  seeing  from  the  stars  that  it  must  be 

r  "".'•"'f  V""-?  «■""•     A^  t^  -me  near  the  warehouse 
e  fanced  he  heard  voiees,  and  this  led  him  to  hurry  on   fo 

.s  conse,e.ee  smote  him  for  being  absent,  and  the  idea  of 
.eves  was  eonneeted  in  his  mind  with  the  sounds  he  heard 

le  soon  reaehed  the  yard,  and  found  the  gates  wide  open,  ami 

h  ugh  ,t  was  but  star-light,  yet  his  eye,  familiar  with  al  t 
dota.  s,  saw  the  gaping  vacaneies  where  had  been  piled  0  1 
«rchand.se;  and  running  to  the  grated  piazza,  a'nd  finding 
that  empty  and  the  warehouse  doors  open,  and  men  on  the 
quay,  and  a  boat  near  it,  the  dreadful  certainty  that  the  ware- 
louse  had  been  plundered  while  he  lay  sleeping  the  sleep"f 
•he  drunkard,  overwhelmed  his  soul.  Lifting  up  his  vo  ce  he 
gave  utterance  to  the  startling  cry  we  have  aLd'ed   0    s  h 

'toon.     H^  next  act  was  to  fly  to  the  bell-rope  and  L  L 

«r''  tr  ;  ''?''°2  ^"f  ""''  '"6'''  ™^  ■'»"<!  ^ven  a^  the 

,  r  ;        ,   T  ?.'"'""^'"^  '"  S^^'^-S  °"'  of  'he  river,  and 

■d  towards  the  sh,p  after  its  con,pa„ions.     They  all  reaehed 

"    "  safety,  transferred  their  freight  to  the  decks  of  the  fri. 

with  Dir'k  iff  Tf  f '""^'  ™'  "'"  ^'"P  -'t''''»«  "-'""■. 
»     of        1  f'  l>olmsn,an's  side  to  direct  ht  eours 

out  ol  the  bay,  moved  seaward. 

ar      '.?""'  ?'"r'''"S  "■=  »P'"i",  who  stood  on 

u    bo  distmguished  from  the  dark  masses  of  wood  and  eliff 

'I  mile  distant. 


113 


94 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


"Yes.  Our  skipper  has  proved  trustworthy!  This  will 
make  a  noise  among  the  Yankees,  I  guess.  But  what  light 
IS  that  V  ° 

"  It  looks  like  a  bonfire  on  the  beach  !"  % 

"No.  It  blazes  up!  It  is  a  hut  on  fire!  We  can  sec 
the  shape  of  it  now  !  The  roof  and  door  is  in  flames  !"  said 
the  quarter-master. 

"  Give  me  the  glass,  quarter-master." 

The  nobleman  looked  a  few  moments,  and  then  exclaimed 
with  an  expression  of  horror, —  ' 

« There  is  a  man  in  it  burning  up  !  Call  the  first  cutter' 
Bring  the  ship  to !     We  will  help  him  if  we  can." 

Half-a-dozen  glasses  were  levelled  at  the  burn-ng  cabin 
the  light  of  which  shot  up  redly  into  the  sky,  and  hashed  fai^ 
over  the  water,  reflecting  its  lurid  ray  upon  the  faces  of  all  on 
board;  and  showing,  like  a  picture,  every  spar,  rope,  and 
block  m  the  ship,  but  with  a  wild,  crimson  flush. 

"  Let  me  see  that  spy-glass  a  minute !"  said  Dirk  Harder 
with  a  voice  whose  tones  made  them  stare.  He  snatched' 
rather  than  received,  that  which  the  officer  of  the  deck  held,' 
and  presented  it  for  an  instant  to  the  blazing  pyre.  His  fece 
became  pale,  even  in  that  red  light;  and,  compressing  his 
lips,  he  muttered, 

"It  is  the  old  man  !  He  has  set  the  hut  a-fire,  and  burns 
himself  up  m  it,  like  a  madman  as  he  is !" 

"Why  don't  he  run  out?"  asked  an  officer,  whose  heart 
sickened  as  his  glass  revealed  to  him  the  horrible  struggles 
of  the  man  in  the  flames. 

"  He  is  tied  !"  coldly  responded  Harder. 

"  Who  is  he  ?"  questioned  half-a-dozen  voices. 

"  Who  is  he  ?    My  father  I" 

"Your  father!" 

"Drink  has  made  him  mad;  so  I  chained  him,  to  keep 
him  out  of  mischief.    The  old  fool  has  got  to  the  fire,  perhaps, 


THE   FRIGATE   IN   THE   OFTim.  gg 

audibly  uttered,  amazement;  and  the  captain 

»p:»:^i  1:;^  rtii::'  r ''- '-''-  "-^-^ 

heart  made  of  ?-  °  *    "^^""^  mun,  what  is  your 

awaj  from  Jiim  with  disgust  ^*  ''^*'^"  ^^^^^ 

Bhove  him  into  hisLacI  loluteV^^^^  T"''  "' 

on  board  the  ship  'H  sink  V'      ^"^^~-^'''  '"^''^  «"^''»  a  monster 

The  frigate  had  been  brought  to  and  ih.      *.      . 
butthequarter-mi.tpr  r^u     ,  '  *^'^  ^"**^^  lowered; 

-  i<3  fey  .as,  the  orde/fo  ^irrTptroff  '  "''  '"" 
tcrmanded,  the  yards  hr,n„^  .     ■       "f ,'"  P"'  off  was  coua- 

Of  the  consumed  Cttr^a^^nllntetro^/r  ="  '■" 
dawn.     Half  a  miln  n»+  -^      r  T  ^^  °^  *^^  cominrr 

".at  his  serl  s  w    e  :  To::'        .7°"'  "'^^  «"'^-  -« 
Tte  captain  then  calld  M  °!    , "''  "'  *"  "^'^  ""^  «afe, 

.HanV„eL":xt;:  ^:t:icir:r'" 

'Q  the  expedition.  ^     fe    «-"  J^tep  secret  iiis  agency 

a«l'^":frri":aid"  r/r^"' " ''™'«'  ■™-  ->- 

state-roon,.  '  '"'  ^""^'^'f'  »»  ^^'^'^  ™s  quitting  the 

"A¥hy?'' 

"  To  keep  a  hempen  one  froiu  eluAing  you  !" 


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23  weST  MAIN  STRUT 

WIBSTIRN.Y    1 4380 

(716)  S72-4}03 


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NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


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Harder  thre^  a  glance  of  defiant  rage  at  the  speaker,  and 
if  he  had  folloved  the  fierce  impulse  of  his  spirit,  he  would 
have  leaped  upon  him.  But  discretion  tempered  revenge  at 
such  a  time  and  in  such  a  place.  He  left  scowling  and  moody, 
descended  to  his  xebec,  which  was  brought  alongside,  and 
sailed  away  from  the  frigate,  leaving  behind  him  an  impression 
by  no  means  flattering  to  his  humanity,  to  his  filial  love,  to 
his  patriotism,  or  to  his  moral  excellencies. 

The  frigate  filled  away  again,  and  laid  her  course  with  the 
wind  four  points  free  on  her  larboard  quarter  for  Halifax.    The 
xebec  steered  for  the  bay,  the  entrance  to  which  it  approached 
just  as  the  day  broke,  it  Iiaving  been  yet  quite  dark  when  he 
quitted  the  ship's  side.    Here  the  young  man  once  more  caught 
a  glimpse,  through  the  obscurity  of  the  morning,  of  the  man- 
gled body  of  the  woman  he  had  flung  from  the  cliff".    He  shut 
his  eyes  and  shuddered.     Then  he  thought  of  his  father  burn- 
ing in  the  hut,  whose  writhing  face  he  had  clearly  distinguished 
tlirough  the  glass,  but  without  being  moved  to  pity  or  horror, 
for  hatred,  not  love,  was  the  domestic  element  in  which  the 
two  had  dwelt  together ;  and  in  his  heart  he  was  glad  of  h?s 
father's  death.     The  horrible  manner  of  it  made  no  impression 
upon  him. 

"  So,  he  '11  never  trouble  me  no  more  !  He  might  as  well 
be  dead  as  aHvc  !  better  too  !  It  was  no  hand  o'  mine  !  He 
must  hhve  dragged  fire  out  as  he  has  done  before,  and  set  him- 
self a-fire  !    He 's  tried  to  do  it  before  !    What  is  that  ?  The 

old  woman  moves!    She no!    It  is  the  wind  blowing  her 

rags  !  How  my  heart  jumped !  Hark  !  that  is  her  ghosf  I 
hear  behind  mo !"  ho  chattered  with  fear,  as  a  terrible  cry— a 
wail  of  despair — fell  on  his  ears,  and  seemingly  coming  frmii 
amid  the  dark,  rolling  waves  astern.  He  looked  furtively- 
clasping  the  tiller  nervously,  could  see  nothing — yet  he  tliouglit 
he  couM  !  He  turned  away  his  eyes,  and  again  came  borne  on 
the  wind  that  fearful  outcry  !    It  pierced  to  his  inmo,«5t  being! 


THE  raiOATE  I.V  THE  omNa.  97 

sts  rr;';:  tTi '"°  ^  "°"-^-"'°  -^-p.^  of 

He  stopped  .rarrrlt;^^^^^^^     "''^^  -«<'^- 

supernatural  dread  •  and  thn  °  overcome  with 

the  silent  hour  of  tL  darUi  "'  '"'""'  ""''"'  "'-  "' 

murdered  eor,,o  of  the   '  .     '  ■"■^'  ""'"^  ™  *''«  ^o".  «'<> 

-■nd  asif  with  life  Uo  st  r  .'"  ''"'"'  ""'  ^"™''  ''^  «=„ 
wavc»  in  the  hollow  f  tl  t  ti'  "T^  ""'  '"'"^  "'=""'  "^ '''» 
i'^  gloo,,^  tower,  were  noul t f  "m '""^'"^  '"■»  """ 
the  hardiest  and  gniltLt  ^1  ^2^  '""^  f^"'^''^' 
»e..s  to  guide  his  boat,  ho  steered  n  to  tft     ^"^^^  ™"'"'''"^- 

>"J>-of  the  witeh-wo„'an  w^  o'  ;';  to'Td"trrT  "''' 
"1!?  up  of  the  dnurn  vn,r«  1  J    i  ■       ^  '  ""^  *^^  lighten- 

v^A  a„:  tr  e  t:^^^^^  *•-•-%,  '>is^ear.s 

heod  of  expression.  The  sun  dri  """\^'''''™"=™'io  ''«di- 
i"t"  the  little  pool  InsteTof  f,  T  ""  '"  '""  '"'^  ^'•■'»» 
ofblackashesUy  befo,"  hi  .  ,  ,  'f  n  """"'""'"S  '"ass 
fi.e  from  the  su^n-ks  ll'        '  !       "* '"'"''  ""'''  '"'<'  """gl't 

oteso  ti!^:t  tC  i„;  Ht:-:i,:ir™™'r''  *- "'"" 

Jcca,ed  eraft,  had  al  1     p^fs    'd        T      "^  ""^  '''' 

l«*ga.ed  from  his  .eb^H  '  h  ^  T;.  ™'"'''«-«™- 
i-tant  a  looh  of  sorrow  pa  s^'^er  •,;:""«'  T',  ""  "" 
«ff,  and  pushiiiff  ashnr,.    ,„  i        ,        ,  ^"'  "  P^^seJ 

.1.0  rcma  ns  of  hi    h  o'e      o"f  V","',"  '"'"  ""''  »^»'-'> 

:;::^i-';t=;t=  :f-- 
sf'cm  iiff  f,-»  ,v,i;  *  ,1  ^xpussion  ot  hi.s  eves 
^"""g  to  mUieate  rather  reiri-or  j.f  fi.o  t„        <•  i  .    .    "^ 

»-;.ed  as  it  waMhan  at  tlXlti:''™  ■-""•'■' 

-.^-ii^SnrxtiriV::;;:^^ 
-''-.. p.  a..awin.he;,d"r,;:;::;i:!r;::;;r;x 


ii 


i. 


98 


NORVFX   HAPTINOS;   OR, 


a  better  one  !  I  will  lounge  up  to  the  villa,  and  see  how  mat. 
ters  stand  after  the  night's  business.  But  here  come  men 
down  the  path !  They  arc  the  farm  workmen :  I  have  no 
fears  of  them !  Who  knows  my  secret !  1  will  face  them 
boldly." 

"Ah,  Master  Harder,  this  his  been  a  strange  night,"  said 
the  foremost,  who  yas  habited  like  a  farmer,  and  carried  in 
his  hand  a  flail-handle.  "  Did  they  set  your  house  a-fire  too  ?" 
"  Yes,"  answered  Dirk,  glad  to  grasp  an  idea  that  would  be 
opposed  to  any  suspicion  of  his  having  participated  in  the 
plunder  of  the  warehouse.  "  They  did  not  get  enough,  and 
came  for  mine.    They  burned  the  old  man  up  too  I" 

"  The  old  man  !   Burned  ?"  were  the  exclamations  that  were 
uttered  by  the  horror-struck  farmers. 
"  There  lie  his  white  bones !" 
The  men  gazed  a  moment,  and  then  gave  vent  to  their  indig. 
nant  emotions. 

."  They  have  taken  all  the  goods  from  the  warehouse,  and 
Master  Fielding  is  nowhere  to  be  found  !  Poor  gentleman! 
Master  David  thinks  he  hath  gone  mad  rith  his  losses.  We 
are  hunting  him  everywhere." 

"  Dirk,"  said  William  Gardner,  now  making  his  appearance, 
"  I  am  sorry  for  your  loss.  You  mistake  in  thinking  tlie 
British  burned  it.  I  saw  the  fire  break  out,  for  I  was  up  ad 
looking  out  of  the  window,  and  at  once  came  down;  but  it 
was  too  late  to  do  anything.     Your  father  was  already  dead!" 

"I  saw  you  through  my  spy-glass "     Dirk  betrayed 

himself  before  he  was  aware,  and  stopped  short  and  coloured, 
"What?    Saw  me?    Spy-glass?    I  didn't  know  you  ki 
one  !    Where  were  you  ?" 

"  Where  ?  Well,  if  I  must  give  an  account  of  all  my  move- 
ments, I  will  say  I  was  out  in  the  bay.  I  ran  out  to  wakh 
the  motions  of  the  frigate  !" 


nd  see  how  mat- 
here  come  men 
len :  I  have  no 
.  will  face  them 

nge  night,"  said 
e,  and  carried  in 
ouse  a-fire  too  ?" 
3a  that  would  be 
ticipated  in  the  | 
^et  enough,  and 
I  too  I" 
lations  that  were 


THE  FRIGATE  IN   TI,e   oFFim. 


99 


It  IS  of  no  consequence.     T  shlll 
"  You  can  Etaj  at  my  moth.t  ^'^  ««°iewheres  «lse." 

"William  Jdner? r wt  "  r  ^'"^  *"^— ^ 
,  the  hands  of  an^bod;  ehe  "  an.       T  '*  ^'^"^  ^^"^«>  -or 
I  impatiently.         ^      ^  '''''     ^"'^^^^^  ^^'t,  coarsely  and 

William  smiled  and  left  hm,     -.i 
other,  al«  went  away,  sol  L" ^  tl"'  "'""''"  "»'<'■     ^hc 
'»  «earch  of  the  Manager,  and  otW.       T^  "'""6  'ie  b«aol., 
while  othera  went  i.\ZdtZ.^'''''f«*^a,^to„er 

eleven  men  who  had  boen  aent  out  by  Da vidr""'.!' '*'"  "">'' 
•earch  of  Mr.  Fielding.  ^  "''™  Cracklewood,  in 


I' 


II 


«  f  1 


'■!l 


his  appearance, 
n  thinking  (lie 
>r  I  was  up  anil 
3  down;  but  it 
already  dead !' 
Dirt  betrayed 
t  and  coloured, 
know  you  h\ 


•f  all  my  move- 
a  out  to  wati'h  I 


100 


.\0IIVEL   HASTINGS;    Oil, 


CHAPTER  X. 

We  will  now  take  our  readers  back  to  the  time  on  the 
evening  before,  when  Mr.  Fielding  left  his  daughter  on  the 
cliff,  and  walked  to  the  villa  with  Mr.  Cracklewood,  whom,  as 
we  have  seen,  he  afterwards  made  tipsy  there. 

Mary,  having  sent  the  pretty  cockney  after  William,  as  we 
have  shown,  remained  for  some  minutes,  thoughtfully  gazing 
m  the  direction  which  Hetty  had  taken.  She  sighed  more 
than  once.,  and  seemed  sad  at  heart.  Her  eyes  looked  sea- 
ward,  and  filled  with  tears. 

"I  fear  that  some  danger  has  delayed  him.  He  should 
have  been  here,  if  successful  in  his  mission,  two  days  ago. 
There  are  so  many  perils  that  this  war  throws  in  his  patli, 
He  will  sail  hither  at  the  risk  of  being  taken ;  for  frigates  arc 
cruising  about,  and  his  vessel  cannot  cope  with  one  of  thciii. 
But  it  is  in  vain  for  me  to  strain  my  eyes,  to  penetrate  the 
darkness  that  has  settled  on  the  sea  I  I  must  have  patience! 
Noble  Norvel !  If  thou  knewcst  how  much  I  loved-Iiow 
much  I  thought  of  thee— how  like  a  woman  I  tremble  for  tli) 
safety,  thou  wouldst  feel  flattered  !  Yet  thou  knowcst  it;  I 
have  not  hid  my  heart's  secret  from  thee;  nor  thou  thiuc 
from  me !  Wo  are  one !  In  vain  my  pride  would  reason 
...gainst  my  love  for  one  so  lowly  !  Thou  art  lowly  in  nothing 
but  thy  birth ;  and  that— who  knows  what  that  may  be  !  An 
orphan— picked  up  at  sea  from  a  wreck,  by  the  good-hoartcd 


le  time  on  the 
lughtcr  on  the 
food,  whom,  as 

William,  as  wc 
jhtfully  gazing 
e  sighed  more 
cs  looked  sea- 


niM  PWGATE  IN  THE  OWINO.  ,0^ 

skipper,  who  adopted  thee  a<,  I,;«  =„„  .       , 

birth  k  not  equal  to  mFnt!.        .'/""'  ^'"""  "»"'  *hat  thy 

worthy  widowVso IrruSr,'  u  '  "^''  """^  *« 
calls  thee,  I  should  love  1  T  7  ™  ' '"" '""°*''^'' "« ^-^ 
what  frankne.,  whalTe^j;  2  ;^'«';  S»o.o.ity, 
courage,  what  humanity,  what  re   '  Tf  1    «'"';"f'''''«'«.  what 

votioni  And  so  noblXwl^Ttf/^r'r"^' '''''' ''"■ 
carnage !  Nay— nav  ■  I  am  ^f  •  ^"""'^  '"  "'"^  »■><! 
'"^  fancy  p,ay',„  J,{^]  X„  ."^  «;7  into  foUy,  to  let 

Impatiently  she  waited  forward  and  !d  ^''^T""' '" 
Bcacoa  Head.    But  the  •n^.^tfl  '""'"''''  "'° 

lersolf,  and  she  returned  !LT^  ?",  "^'^  '•'""'"^''  her  to 

:  rs  n'-attr:"  -  r-^'^-'"^  wtf : ! 

in  a  true  maiden's  heart  I.,,,  V  ,    """^  '"  ^"^^  "  P'^oe 

-  Hetty  gained  il,  t:  ht  eCnalo  M    'oT'  f^""^"^' 
,  "  Villiam  is  no't  y„t  eome^'i'-jl^^.t;^-;^! -"''6- 

omd,  ugly  creature,  that  Pina  i«  i   T  k  V         '  ™'  * 

-«,f;ath,  fearing  he  'vasTuftTelld  "^  ™'  ^'^  ^^'^"'^^ 

ManC""at:!rTf1''f  r^-    "«'»^^''^- 
«f  fear  or  dislike  in  othl       ^  .'       "'^  ""^  indications 

"Do  you  think  such  r^'     .  f"  '''™"  »"'  »''°"  «"ch." 

lopiniou  he  don't  fee  no  .  ^"^'"'^  ""^  ^">^ '''    ^^ '»  »y 

V^here  is  William  ?" 

^^-^':^S;::^^^^  ^ooUherel 

"  They  say   Hettr   1  ^''  ''''''  ^  ^^^^  it  !" 

%ue  bLsf  Y^  mun  T  ^'^^  "^^^^^  *^^  — 

I  you  and  William     Cu  ar  TJd      f" ''  ^^  '^  '"'^^'        ' 
''•^d  self-willed."  ^       ^''^'  ^"^^  ^  ^it*i«  ^vay ward 

9* 


'ii 


i 


102 


NORVEL   HASTfNOS;   Oil, 


**  VilHam  likes  lue  hall  the  better  for  it,  Miss  Mary.  He 
says  it  is  vhat  the  salt  is  to  the  sea  I  That 's  vot  I  call  a  werry 
'andsome  poetical  himage.  How  nicely  he  sails  his  boat  in ! 
He  makes  her  turn  round  like  a  lady  a  valtzing,  for  hall  the 
world.  If  I  can  make  him  go  to  Lonnon  vhen  vib  are  married, 
and  set  up  a  boat  on  the  Thames,  'ow  proud  I  should  be  o' 
him  I   Don't  you  mean  to  go  to  Hcngland,  Miss  Mary  ?" 

"I  don't  know,  Hetty.  I  should  like  to  see  my  brother 
George." 

"He's  been  away  from  you  so  long  you'd  never  know  hira. 
It's  twenty  years  he  has  been  in  Hengland,  isn't  it,  Miss 
Mary?" 

"  He  was  born  there  twenty-two  years  ago,  and  has  never 
left  it,  unless  he  is  now  at  sea;  for  my  father  had  a  letter 
from  him  two  years  ago,  that  he  was  in  the  navy.  I  was  born 
here,  you  know,  and  have  never  seen  him.  I  sometimes  fancy 
how  he  looks." 

"  He  can't  care  for  you  much,  or  he  would  come  to  see  you  !" 

"  Father  seldom  hears  from  him.  Kg  is  adopted  by  my 
frihcr's  brother  the  Earl  of  Fin  Loch,  and  gives  little  heed  to 
liis  American  family.  But  there  lands  William.  He  will 
soon  be  here.  Let  us  wait  for  him — unless  you  choose  to  gu 
and  meet  him  !"     ' 

"  You  say  that  to  laugh  at  mo.  Miss  Mary  I  but  I  will  go  I" 
And  the  light-footed  maid  bounded  down  to  meet  her  sailor- 
lover.  In  a  few  minutes  she  returned  with  him  where  Mary 
stood. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you  back,  safely,  William.  We  feared 
for  you." 

"  You  mean  the  British  frigate  !"  said  the  sailor,  smiliDg. 
"  They  hardly  notice  such  craft  as  mine." 

"  William,  I  want  to  speak  wi^  '■.  you ;  come  this  way.  Don't 
be  jealous,  Hetty  1   Walk  towards  the  house,  I  will  follow." 

Hetty  obeyed,  though  casting  many  a  glance  backward  at 
her  lover  and  mistress,  as  they  talked  in  a  low  voice  together 


THE  PBIOATE  IN  THE  OfflWG. 


108 


.     We  feared 


There  is  no  danger,  Miss  Mary  {  he  is  too  good  a  seaman 
to  be  taken.  Besides,  do  you  know  that  I  believe  the  Ameri- 
can war-schooner  that  waa  chased  off  by  the  frigate  was  Nor- 
vel's  vessel  I" 

"Do  you  think  so  V  exclaimed  Miss  Fielding  with  delighted 
surprise,  which  was  instantly  changed  to  an  expression  of 
alarm.  <'l  could  say  I  hope  not;  for  the  frigate  may  yet 
capture  her." 

"No;  the  schooner  has  knowledge  now  of  her  presence, 
and  will  act  accordingly.  I  should  not  be  surprised  to  see  her 
run  in  again  during  the  night,  and  that  you  will  see  Norvel 
before  morning." 

"Shouldn't  youl  But  I  hope  he  will  not  be  rash.  And 
yet  it  may  not  be  his  schooner." 

"I  am  confident  it  is.  I  was  within  four  miles  of  it,  and 
it  answers  exactly  the  description  he  gave  me  of  it:  heavily 
sparred,  a  very  square  mainsail,  fore  and  main  gaft  topsails, 
two  jibs  and  foresail  across,  with  her  maintopmast  full  ten  feet 
higher  than  her  fore." 

"  If  I  was  only  sure  !" 

"  Well,  we  shall  know  by  to-morrow.  I  wish  he  could  have 
got  here  a  day  sooner,  and  then  we  could  have  had  the  guns 
mounted  on  the  cliff  in  front  of  the  old  Beacon,  and  with  the 
six  twelves  he  is  to  bring,  we  could  keep  a  frigate  from  entering 
the  bay,  as  we  could  fire  right  down  upon  her  decks  with  grape. 
I  don't  much  like  the  looks  of  this  English  frigate  so  near  us." 

"  It  is  therefore  I  have  sent  for  you  to  ask  you  to  keep  up 
to-night,  if  you  will,  and  watch.  It  is  barely  possible  they 
may  come  ashore  to  the  villa,  in  which  case  I  should  depend 
on  you  to  give  me  timely  warning,  that  I  might  take  horse 
for  a  safer  place." 

"I  will  keep  watch;  I  promise  you  I  will  not  sleep." 

"  And  also  look  out  for  the  schooner,  should  she  run  in 
towards  the  land  in  the  night. 


1 


If 


I 


104 


NORV  L  HASTINGS;  OR, 


oJlVp!;f  "n  ^,7:     ^^"^  '^^  I  ^^»  keep  our  four  ejcs 

Thanks,  good  William,  thanks !    I  will  t.u  v       i  r. 
kind  you  are.    Now  good-night  P        ^  ^^"  ^"  ^^^vel  how 
"Let  me  spoak  a  word  with  Hetty  " 

danger,  .l,omU  Xl'^7^' "™  ™°'  "  ""''' »«»'-' 
Miss  Fielding  soon  overtook  the  lingering  H„».      j 

«cord  it,  but  let  it  pa^s  into  the  ICLT^jJt  "'"  "°* 
tender  tSte-ik-fSles  have  been  buried     w'n  ^°^  '"  ""^"^ 

at  the  gate,  and  went  to  !„t      J  '"™  P"'"'*''  fr""  tw 

Rpa.  of  the  dutr  erd  ;ite":^7':,''  "I""  ''"'^' »" 

Mary  Fielding,  trustin^tlwMr^      "'°'"  *"  '•""  '^'gi^t. 

^ent  <;  her  root  T^ffts^";  «"<'■'"■«  f-'i'W^Iwafch, 

the  night;  but  onlyln  nartL       J'  "PP^""'"'-,  retired  fo 

moment  she  might  fi"  S,'  ZT'  "  "'•''^'  """  "» »"? 

W     Through  the  X*:;  t'a/r°?'  T'  ^" 
the  events  that  transDir»d      T  P'  mdisturbed  by 

rising  when  they  awXt  leL  ITr""''  ^  "-^  ™"  J^' 
piUagel  by  the  frigate's  boated  »!.  • ''"''"'""'  •""*  ^"^ 
Harder  in  the  Uam'e s  „  «;  oChnf  T^  IT  ?"  "^  H"*'' 
immediately  sought  by  her  bit  ,1  '^"""' '  '■'""°  ™ 

her  that  he  m-t^ave'het^tLd  ^^"'^.7;''°-^ 
wood  was  nearly  beside  himself  at  oL  fl  ^  f'"'  *''^'''<'- 
known  to  him  what  had  happened  ffi,  j"^  .  '"■'  *"  ■"'"'° 
alarm,  and  seareh  was  n.ado  Tfet  abo!  t^t'"  t'*  ""^ 
more  extended  ran?c  Bv  ^,V1,7  '  >  ?  .  "  """'  *''™  «"  » 
with  s„eh  weapons' as  Zytrnttf^T'"""''""^' 

=tdts^-rrE^-i-s:h^e^ 
i>--owveLredt:rrrttrhXr.r:.t- 


the  frigate 


THE  PRIOATE  IN   THE  OFilNO. 

Hetty  stoutly  asscvcra 


105 


I  prison  ( 
hopinfon  tl,o  Creole,  Pedro,  had  m„rdercd  'i,.  and  '« 'i,  bod,-  i'- 

pre  e"  aL  "      ",  '"'''°''"^"  *"  ""'^  ^^P'-^'""'  »"  ''»''■•''  '- 
present,  and  was  qa.te  as  much  distressed  at  hk  master's  ravsto- 

n  „a  d.sappearanee  as  anybody.     William  Gardner  hadipt 

£.Uhf„l  wa.=h  all  n,ght,  and  had  seen  the  frigate  enter  the  bay 

bu  as  at  was  too  far  and  too  dark  to  dis-eern  the  boats  that  lef   fe; 

and  eame   o  her,  he  did  not  suspeet  her  „r  ,et  in  anehoring 

supposing  that  morn.ng  would  reveal  it.     Kpa,  who  had  bee° 

watehmg  from  .he  Beaeou  for  the  sehooner,  which  William 

ad  led  h.m  to  believe  contained  his  beloved  master,  had  seen 

he  frigate  go  out  just  before  day,  and  the  xebec  quit  her  in 

he  offing  and  stand  in.     It  was  too  dark  for  him  at  first  to 

distinguish  the  xebec,  but  as  she  eamo  nearer,  and  with  the 

growing  dawn,  be  knew  her  to  be  Dirk's  ves.,el.     This  faet  he 

r  he  :7"  ' -Jn  T'  *"''«''  "»'  '"'  ""-  ">»  -'"View 
of  the  latter  with  Harder  over  the  ashes  of  his  father. 

rhat  man  then  piloted  her  in  and  out,  for  I  saw  him 

l::t     \T  71'"  ""'"'""■'  ^^'"'-»«"ducrwith  ind,> 
iicitiou.     "I  will  ha^'e  my  -^  i  " 

He  knew  from  Hetty  tha'  '  „„.„  ^  ^ 

JI...S  i  lelding  refused  to  lis  u  addresses,  and  ho 

now  strongly  suspected  that  .  ,„  ;„'j^„ 

I"ge  of  the  warehouse.     But,  for  tu„  .our,  he  kept  his  sus- 
picions  to  himself.  >  f-  "'s  sus- 

Leaving  the  dwellers  at  Ficldiog  Manor  to  renew  their 
fruitkss  search  the  country-folk  for  leagues  around  to  arm 
and  hasten  to  the  scene  of  the  outrage,  Mary  to  suffer  at  the 
prolonged  absence  of  her  father,  David  Craeklewood  to  walk 
rom  the  house  to  the  warehouse  and  back  again  like  a  dement- 
ed  man,  Duk  Harder  to  putting  his  xebec  in  repair  as  if  for 
r-mc  cruise  in  prospect,  with  Pipa,  unseen,  watching  all  his 
movements,  we  shall  leave  the  land,  and  once  more  place  our 
readers  at  sea,  on  the  deck  of  an  armed  vessel. 


i),, 


I 


#1 


mmmm^m 


KOBVIL   IIASTINOS;  OH, 


CHAPTKK  XI. 

It  w<«  about  four  o'  clock  in  the  aftomoou  of  the  day  «l.icl. 
follovred  the  p.Uagc  of  the  wareho-ase,  that  a  schooner  of  about 
one  hundred  and  eighty  tons  burden  might  have  been  .een  in 
that  v-,rt  of  Massachusetts  Bay  which  is  south  of  the  ooast 
of  Mame.  She  was  painted  blaclj  with  a  red  stripe  or  ).ead 
runnmg  rou.d  her  waist,  and  pierced  for  eight  guns;  but -.he 

and  the  tenth  a  long  brass  Spanish  swivel  which  carried  a 
SK-ponnd  ball,  ngged  upon  a  ^ivot  on  the  taffrail.  The  form 
of  the  schooner  was  very  beautiful  to  a  naufcal  eye.  and  the 
rake  of  her  masts  had  the  peculiar,  bold  inclinationa.t,  tha. 
pleases  a  man-of-war's  man.  Her  yards  were  painted  black 
^nd  very  square,  while  her  mainsail,  as  the  tars  say,  "spread 
an  acre  of  canvass."  '''     ^ 

She  has  the  wind  from  the  south-west,  blowing  an  easy  six- 
knot  breeze,  and  her  course  is  dne  north,  the  direction,  twcntv 
miles  distant,  of  Ficldinff's  Rav  A  Uk™  i,  »i  ■  ,  ™'""'y 
a  "  «!t  v„.,,1..  f'"^/.  ^*y-  Although  the  wmd  was  but 
a  SIX  ^n  ,eter  for  an  ordinary  craft,  yet  the  schooner  got  full 
«ven  out  of  it  by  carrying  everything  alow  and  aloft.^  Her 
Jib,  .oresarl,  squaresail,  topgallant  and  royal,  her  mainsail, 

^f'.^Hl'T      •°''"""''""'^'''^'="'P'"^'«'"<''Ji"8-«-l,wero 
set  and  all  drawing.     She  was  evidently  doing  her  best  to 
make  speed,  and  gallantjy  she  moved  along^ashifg  th  set 
!  i!Ws  fro^  her  sharp  bows  in  high  crests  of  spray.     The  sky 


'^^*iL«iiiM^« 


^ss.a'.^.-^  ai'^i.wfcs'im 


.• './ 


THE  FRIOATB   IN   THE   OPFINO.  JOT 

wts  clear,  the  ae'K  bluo  an^  ♦^i^    vi 

m  3ight  save  a  smn'l  ,,,«  i      ,       ^  "^^  vessels  were 

and  t  capo  coJJ  t' r.orh  r'"  '^  '""''  "'  '^  ^"^^ 

Ti^e  inside  of  *d ^zz\::u'::  "tT"  ^'''-'■ 

so  thae  wLen  tie  eight  poH.  I    0^0™  open  t '  "™"'""'' 
a  onlhant  row  of  scarlnf   c  ^    '  t^iej  presented 

There  were  at  Ct  Z^TZ"  K   "r  ''"'""'  ^P"""- 
wkom  wore  forward  uf^  mil  '^'  ""^  ^^'  P"^'  «f 

looking  eve.  the  side  ,  sle  t^^i^""',"'"'', '"»«»«  »d 
'alining,  others  at  work  onThe  riS' 1''"«  """'^  '"»»  '''«' 
dressed  as  seamen,  some  as  LS»  fr  "'  ° 7 ' '"''"'  "^^ 
a  varied  and  not  nninterest  ngstht  '  „'  '  '"''  P"=^»""« 
'0  behold  the  interior  of  a  "it'lV  T  """"""''"'"''' 
were  four  or  five  men  mn=,i        '^"'^  ^  ""ateer.     Amidships 

-her  from  th^  ^Z7tZZ%:l7:Z'  '"  ""  "«-''' 
from  any  outward  badge,  save  on  of  th^  u''  ''^'  """" 
button  on  his  cap  and  aVulrnlvL  ^'et  ^r  "  ""'" 
were  al!  smoking,  one  of  th.^m  h.A  .  "'"  P^"^"' 

and  one  had  a  chart  soL^!^ ,    ^  "  T«^'''  »  '"'^  hand, 
was  examining  ^        °'"  "I""'  '''^  '^P'ton,  which  ha 

On  the  quarter-deck  were  h.if  ik, 
steersman.     One  of  these  wL«    1   ?  '"'"'"''  ^'"''^'^  *^^ 
with  anehor-buttons  ^d  an"^W    I       "'''"'  '"  "  ""o  ""a*. 
was  gray.     He  was  pacin.  u„  a.l'*''"''"'  ""  ""^  ''«=«''  "tieh 
the  deck,  with  a  ta^K^a  J ""^  '\  '"'""'^  ^'^^  "^ 
wMeh,  from  time  to  ti^t  \  ruT^n '^^^^^^^  '''  ''™' 
sweep  the  horizon  .vith  it.     His  connf      ^       ^'^  ''^'''  •""• 
.'.»mo«^-was  bluff  and  weafh  rrat^r/rr,^^"^- 
pearance  was  that  of  an  "oM  In         '  *"'  "'">'«  ap- 

th-t  of  second  lieutenant   the      7  '"""■      ^'"  «""=  ™^ 
eutenant.     The  next  person  to  bo  descnl«d, 


BHOBH 


108 


NORVEL  HASTINGS;   OR, 


1*1' 


was  a  man  much  younger  than  this  one ;  tall  and  angular, 
with  a  shrewd,  business  look,  and  the  air  more  of  a  trader 
than  a  sailor.  His  dress,  too,  was  of  the  fashion  of  the  shore, 
rather  than  of  the  sea;  consisting  of  a  narrow-brimmed  white 
beaver  hat,  much  worn,  a  ..fvallow-tailed  blue  coat,  long  in  the 
skirts,  strait  gray  trowsers,  yarn  stockings,  and  shoes  tied 
with  leather  thongs.  His  hands  were  stuck  in  his  capacious 
pockets;  and  ho  walked  up  and  down  the  deck,  whistling, 
with  his  thoughts  plunged  deep  in  calculation.  This  pcrsou- 
age,  whose  outer  man  so  little  harmonized  with  the  deck  of  an 
armed  vessel,  was  the  chief  owner  of  the  privateer;  and  sailed 
in  her  as  a  sort  of  supercargo,  and  miscellaneous  assistant  to 
the  captain.     This  superior  officer  we  have  yet  to  describe. 

He  is  standing  on  the  weather-side  of  the  quarter-deck, 
near  the  main-stay;  his  elbow  resting  on  a  gun— his  attitude 
careless,  yet  firm.  His  age  is  not  more  than  three  or  four 
and  twenty.  His  figure  is  tall  and  noble  in  its  carriage,  and 
the  expression  of  his  fine  face  is  that  of  united  courage  and 
calm  resolution.  His  dark,  hazel  eye  beamed  with  a  quiet 
light,  soft  as  the  dark  eye  of  woman.  But  the  niunly  eleva- 
tion of  his  features,  the  firm  and  determined  compressurc  of 
the  well-cut  mouth,  took  from  the  face  all  eflfeminacy.  It 
was  altogether  bold  and  manly,  and  strikingly  handsome. 

Ho  was  attired  in  a  simple  roundabout  jacket  of  blue  cloth, 
with  a  gold  strap  upon  the  left  shoulder,  white  sailor  trowsers' 
with  a  black  silk  scarf  knotted  loosely  about  his  neck.  Ills 
foot  ana  hand  were  small,  and  remarkably  elegant  in  form. 
His  eyes  were  fixed  steadily  upon  the  northern  horizon,  wilh 
an  expectant  gaze. 

"We  must  be  pretty  well  up  with  the  coast  by  this  time, 
"  said  the  gray-hoaded  lieutenant,  touching  his  hat,  as  ho 
addressed  the  youthful  captain. 

"  Yes.       We    shall    mn    th(^    WnMoTmr-n    Tinio    iw.r^,.-    *r-^ 

bells,"  answered  the  captain,  sending  a  keen  glance  into  (ho 


Bir;" 


THE  FRIGATE  IN  THE  OPFJNO.  JQg 

clear,  we  should  see  the  land  "  "  "^^ 

cap...s..„,„d,eic;:;tr^^^^^^^ 

great  p.ty  we  couldn't  have  found  the  LIS\„,  l' 

a  good  lookout  there  Jlffl"        *^    """""'  "^  '"''•    ^eep 

yard     '  ^^"""'^  "  ^"™<'  fr"""  "-  fore-topgallant 

"  Ay,  ay !"  came  from  the  forecastle  in  a  strong  anH  „».„ 

response,  „s  if  every  soul  was  alert  to  wateh  Sd  „r  f^ 
The  schooner  now  came  up  with  the  mackerel-catcher  whth 

^as  dancng  up  and  down,  with  her  naked  mast  roekiStI  and 

fro  «ith  the  motion  given  to  it  by  the  rolling  sea  It  2!. 

a  man  and  a  boy.     The  captain' sprang  ilX  ri    C™' 

"Hiiiohr 

"  How  long  have  you  been  out?" 
"Throe  days." 

colt;^  Nor  r'?*^1  '^''  "'"^  '"  '  ^^'-  ^^'^^  '"•g^^t  have 
come  1,0m  Neptune's  chest.     «  But  I  hhw  v^«-   ^  - 

American 


m 


Boston. 


frigate  steering  sou'-by-wost,'  as  if 


going  into 


I'd 


Sil 


10 


no 


NORVEL   HASTINGS  t   OR, 


"Yos,  yes!  We  met  that  same  vessel-of-war  yesterday, 
and  have  been  cruising  in  search  of  her,  but  without  finding 
her  again.  We  saw  yesterday  a  British  frigate  off  Fielding's 
Bay,  and  were  fired  into  by  her,  for  we  stood  close  to  her, 
supposing  her  to  be  the  same  American  ship  we  had  seen  in 
the  morning.  We  escaped,  and  have  been  after  our  own  fri- 
gate to  let  her  know  there  is  an  enemy  on  the  coast,  but  falling 
in  with  a  coaster,  he  has  run  for  Boston  with  the  news.  If 
you  should  see  her,  tell  her  the  British  frigate  is  a  44,  and 
was  last  seen  at  five  yesterday,  four  miles  south  of  Fielding's 
Beacon." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir !  Why  bless  me,"  added  the  old  fisherman, 
with  a  recognising  smile,  "  isn't  that  Master  Norvel  ?" 

"  Yes,  my  good  Denny." 

<*  Ib  that  a  privateer  ? 

''Yes." 

"  If  you  aint  full,  let  me  and  Josh  go  with  you  ?  I  am  an 
old  man,  but  I  can  fight !" 

"  Well,  we  shall  be  in  the  bay  a  couple  of  days  to  make 
up  our  crew,  and  if  you  run  in,  we  '11  see."  The  schooner 
had  by  this  time  passed  beyond  hearing,  and  the  next  moment 
the  cheering  cry  rung  out  from  the  main  cross-trees, 

"  Land  ho !" 

"  Where-away  ?"  demanded  Norvel  Hastings  with  a  happy 
lighting  up  of  the  eye. 

"  Right  ahead !    Beacon  point  bears  one  point,  one  point 


\>> 


open 

"  Do  you  see  any  sail  ?    Look  sharp,  all  eyes  !" 

"No,  sir!" 

Norvel,  not  satisfied,  took  a  glans  and  mounted  to  the  fore- 
topgallant  yard.  From  this  elevated  position,  ho  could  sec 
the  blue  land  stretching  along  in  an  irregular  line  for  many  a 
league.  With  his  glass  to  his  eye,  he  could^  make  out  the 
Beacon  and  the  white  front  of  the  villa,  though  so  distant 


*^44. 


;h  80  distiuit 


THE  FRIGATE  IN   THE   OPriNQ.  ^ 

pictured  the  form  of  Marv  FielZ       !  ,    '  !     '  '"^agination 

was  impatient  with  the  wind  nnH  K.       ■'^'\^^^^<^d  *or  wings, 
r  u  Lut  wind,  and  he  seemed  to  think  his  vr^a 

Briti  u  4/h'  r ,"       *'"'^-     ^  ''"''''  '''"  "bout  fighting  » 
liiitisu  44  the  first  cruise  out  in  the  <  Bnvt  f,,.j  iir       ,  ^ 
Bhort-handed  at  that !"  -Daik-Eyed  Mary,'  and 

•'That  young  captain  of  ours,  Mister  Longhead,  is  everv 
inch  a  saijor,  and  knows  Imw  *^  «^  1  '  ^ 

head  l.ad  tw^ot,  y'ZZo'Zl    PZ^ZX  Td' r"" 
tenant  in  an  „„de,  tone  to  the  aupoU;:  "  ""  '""■ 

J  hat  ho  does  I   I  knew  what  I  was  about  when  I  nut  him 
...  eapta,„,  though  the  other  two  owners  ohjeeZd    an!  so  d" 
ome  0  the  men  on  board,  beeauso  he  was  young     But  1'™ 
-eon  .s  .amanship  before,  when  I  went  pLn^er  w'rhi^ 

«-';"S::t::..^"''""'"''^^''-«''''^'--^°- 

in  rri"  ""i^!^!  '"■t'"'"-  "■-  «-.  "(  course,     ftwai 
-..  -.,...,  „»,;wna,  1  took  .ijh  a  liking  to  our  captain 


■.tre.     We  had  a  pesky  storiny 


time  of  it,  and  l 


c  was  on  deck 


112 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


doing  his  dutj,  storm  or  dark,  at  all  hours.     It  seemed  to  me 
he  never  got  a  wink  o'  sleep  from  the  time  we  was  off  Cape 
Cod  till  we  run  in  past  the  Moro  Castle;  if  he  did,  it  was 
on  his  feet.    Then  we  were  chased  by  pirates,  and  would  have 
been  captured  if  he  hadn't  worked  his  vessel  so  skilful  to 
windward  as  to  come  the  weather  gage  over  'em,  and  leave  'em 
out  o'  sight  to  leeward.     He  saved  me  that  time  my  goods, 
worth  ten  thousand  dollars,  and  perhaps  my  neck  !    Look  at 
him,  calm  as  he  sits  astride  that  to'gallant  yard  :  he  is  a  per- 
fect lion  for  fighting.     In  Matanzas,  one  of  his  men — for  you 
know  he  commanded  a  trading  schooner  for  the  rich  Squire 
Fielding,  and  run  regular  to  the  'St  Indies— one  of  his  men 
was  thrown  into  the  calaboose.     lie  wouldn't  go  without  him, 
for  ho  knew  he  had  done  nothing  wrong,  and  as  the  authorities 
wouldn't  give  him  up,  why  he  took  his  crew  and  the  crews  of 
four  other  Yankee  vessels,  and  led  them  on,  broke  open  the 
calaboose,  tied  the  guards,  and  released  his  man." 
"  A  brave  fellow  !" 

"Aint  his  equal  nowhere.  So  you  see  when  this  war 
broke  out,  I  detarmined  to  fit  out  a  privateer,  as  I  was  think- 
ing who  I  should  get  as  captain,  I  met  him  on  Long  Wharf 
in  Boston ;  That's  my  man  !  said  I ;  so  offered  it  to  him.  Ho 
said  1  c  would  give  me  an  answer  in  a  few  weeks,  in  full  tinit! 
before  I  should  have  the  schooner  ready  for  sea.  So  four 
weeks  ago  he  sent  me  word  he  would  accept,  and  ten  days  afro 
he  comes  up  and  tells  me  he  is  ready  to  take  command,  liut 
he  said  that  I  must  let  him  take  on  board  some  of  his  young 
friends  in  Fielding's  Bay,  who  want  to  try  their  fortunes  with 
him ;  for  no  doubt  hundreds  would  fojlow  where  he  would 
lead !" 

"  I  am  willing  to  for  one,  for  I  liked  him  from  the  first," 
responded  the  honest  old  lieutenant,  bringing  his  haid  hand  down 
upon  his  knee  with  an  emphatic  slap.  "  But  what  arc  iLcsc 
guns  stowed  away  in  the  hold  for  ?" 


^^^^^^^^^A^iZZ^^^, 


THE   FRIGATE   IN   THE   OFFING.  Ug 

bay     Through  my  influence,  government  has  loaned  them  to 
hmi  for  the  purpose.^'  ^  '^ 

^'  You  have  a  good  deal  of  influence,  Mr.  Longhead !  People 
say  you  are  a  very  rich  man."  •»"•  -reopie 

"Poor,  sir !  poor !   If  I  were  rich  I  should  not  be  ri. W 
my  life  out  to  sea  in  a  privateer!   Pogr  sir  "'  ^ 

"Why,  you  own  nearly  all  this  vessel,  pay  nearly  all  the 
...  V   for  not  twenty  are  regular  prize-sharers) ;  and  this  take 
a  goou  ueal  of  money.     If  I  owned  the  schooner  I  should  fee 
confounded  rich  I   I  hope  I  shall  get  prize-money  enough  in 

fmtrw^ ""  "'"'"^^'^^-    '  ^'^"^  '^  ^-  -^  '-  on 

"You  sailors  are  always  wishing  for  a  farm  !  J  never  had 
a  captain  sail  m  my  employ  that  didn't  intend  one  day  to  quit 
the  sea  and  huy  a  farm."  * 

"I  suppose  the  storms  of  the  sea  make  us  covet  the  repose 
of  tiie  country.     But  here  comes  the  captain  to  ihe  deck.    No 

irigatc,  sir  ?" 

"No.     She  has  left  p«»haps  to  watch  for  vessels  running 
into  the  Kennebec  or  Penobscot.     The  wind  seems  to  lull 
i  oar  a  hand  there  forward,  and  taut  haul  the  fore  halyards 
alow  and  aloft.     Make  every  stitch  of  canvass  do  its  work  in 
drawing !    Keep  full !" 

"  Full.and-by,"  responded  the  helmsman ;  for  the  wind 
had  hauled,  and  the  schooner  was  having  the  wind  less  free 
than  at  first;  so  that  she  had  to  oe  braced  full  three  points. 

The  land  now  loomed  grandly  in  the  northern  board,  and 
began  to  show  its  details  of  hill  and  vale,  cliff  and  beach 
llie  opening  of  Fielding's  Bay  was  visible  from  the  deck- 
and  with  the  glass,  the  villa  could  not  only  be  seen,  but  it^ 
columas  were  revealed  distinctly  to  the  eye.     Norvei's  keen 

■  ""^^  cuumtiu  lo  mane  out,  through  the  spy-glass,  the 

form  he  believed  was  upon  it. 
10* 


- 


114 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


^'That  mackerel-boat  astern,  with  the  old  man  and  boy, 
seem  resolved  to  catch  us  i  But  they  lie  to  the  wind  a  point 
closer  than  we,  and  will  make  the  land  a  couple  of  miles  to 
windward  Ox  the  bay." 

"  The  old  man  dwells  in  a  cove  that  distance  from  the  bay, 
Lieutenant  Breeze,"  said  Norvel,  casting  an  eye  astern  at  the 
boat,  which  was  stretching  more  to  windward  than  the 
schooner,  and  about  half-a-mile  astern.  While  his  eye  was 
upon  her,  he  saw  her  sails  flap  in  the  wind,  and  then  saw  her 
tack,  stand  a  few  minutes  on  the  opposite  course,  then  luff 
and  come  to. 

"  They  are  picking  up  something,"  said  Norvel,  levelling 
his  glass. 

*'  It  is  a  man,  sir,"  cried  one  of  the  young  officers  that  were 
idling  about  the  capstern,  and  who  also  had  his  glass  levelled 
at  the  mackerel-catcher. 

"Yes J  it  is  a  man  they  are  dragging  out  of  the  water," 
said  Norvel.     «  He  seems  dead.     They  have  got  him  in." 

"  Can  we  have  lost  any  person  overboard  ?"  inquired  the 
supercargo.  ^ 

"  No.  They  are  not  in  our  wake,  but  full  a  third  of  a  mile 
to  windward  of  it,"  answered  Norvel.  "The  man  is  not 
dead;  he  raises  his  arms.  I  can  see  planks,  or  a  raft  Le 
was  floating  upon,  alongside  the  mackerel-boat.  He  must  be 
some  shipwrecked  sailor,  who  has  kept  himself  afloat." 

« Perhaps  some  man  knocked  overboard  from  the  British 
frigate,  in  the  squall,  yesterday,"  observed  the  quarter- 
master. 

"That  is  it,"  answered  the  lieutenant.  "  The  frigate  lost 
her  top-gallant  yard,  and  no  doubt,  one  of  her  people  went 
over  with  it.  Poor  fellow;  ho  has  had  a  long  float  of  it !  I 
once  was  two  days  floating  on  a  hatch,  in  the  Bay  o'  Biscay, 
before  I  was  wached  ashore  1" 


man  and  boj, 
he  wind  a  point 
iple  of  miles  to 

e  from  the  bay, 
ire  astern  at  the 
ward  than  the 
ile  his  eye  was 
d  then  saw  her 
•urse,  then  lufF 

orvel,  levelling 

BScers  that  were 
s  glass  levelled 

of  the  water," 
;ot  him  in." 
"  inquired  the 

third  of  a  mile 
10  man  is  not 
I  or  a  raft  he 
He  must  be 
afloat." 
Dm  the  British 
the    quarter- 

16  frigate  lost 
r  people  went 
float  of  it  I  I 
Bay  0*  Biscay, 


THE  rewATB  m  THt  Omso.  1J6 

<"•-     Keep  ,..  ;  t.XS'™''"'''  ""  '"" 

The  last  words  were  addressed  t/,1      . 
gett.og  his  duty  in  ,i,  euri„r„  look  err""'  """'  '"'■ 

down  Leaving  her  to  n,ako  herCvt  i"  V  °  '""  ''™' 
Aniencan  flag  aloft,  we  will  r,,.^^!  '"  ','"'  ^J'  «">  the 
ers  onee  more  on  the  land  "■'  ""''  P'"™  <""  >^a<i- 


wmsmmm 


NORVEL  HASTINGS;   OR, 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  day  had  passed  at  Fielding  Manor  in  the  greatest 
excitement.  The  continued  absence  of  Mr.  Fielding  was 
unaccountable,  save  with  the  suspicion  that  he  had  either  been 
murdered,  or  fallen  from  the  cliff,  or  been  carried  away  by  the 
English  frigate.  The  search,  which  was  carried  on  under  the 
direction  of  William  Gardner,  resulted  in  tho  discovery  of  the 
"  witch-woman  Nan's"  body,  mangled  at  the  base  of  the  cliff. 
This  horrible  event  was  not  calculated  to  dispel  the  gloom  that 
settled  on  all  minds ;  though  it  was  supposed  her  death  had 
been  accidental.  The  mind  of  Miss  Fielding  was  heavily 
oppressed  with  the  circumstances  that  involved  her,  and  she 
wished  for  the  presence  and  counsel  of  Norvel.  A  hundred 
times  in  the  day  did  she  search  the  horizon  with  her  eyes  for 
a  sign  of  his  coming.  At  length,  about  an  hour  after  we 
introduced  the  reader  on  board  of  the  schooner,  she  discovered 
it  coming  in  from  sea.  Doubtful  whether  it  were  the  vessel 
she  was  looking  for,  she  sent  for  William  and  placed  tho  spy- 
glass in  his  hand.  His  nautical  eye  at  once  recognised  the 
schooner  he  had  seen  the  day  before  in  the  offing. 

"  And  do  you  think  it  is  his  ?"  she  asked  with  thrilling 
earnestness. 

"  I  am  sure  of  it  now,  or  why  should  she  come  back  again? 

1?..!^/->«^^K.     r.V.n     -^ _X_     X^ 1._      Xl.    -      1  11.1  1  . 

^Mixxvu^ij  cue  wuuvB  iKj  iiiuiiu  iuu  uiijf  ana  waai  scuooaer  uuc 
Norvcl's  is  looked  for  here  V 


he  greatest 
ielding  was 
either  been 
fiway  by  the 
Q  under  the 
3very  of  the 
of  the  cliff. 
!  gloom  that 
•  death  had 
vas  heavily 
er,  and  she 
A  hundred 
ler  eyes  for 
ir  after  we 
i  discovered 
e  the  vessel 
ed  the  spy- 
)gnised  the 

ih  thrilling 

jack  again? 
iuooner  but 


THE   FRTOATE   IN   THE  OFFINO.  H; 

poor^Ir";;  ^''  *'''  '  "'^^  "^*  ^  disappointed!"    My 

poor  father!  The  mystery  that  hangs  around  him  overwhelms 

Die!  borne  one  told  me  Willinm  ti.,.  •      ,      "'•"°""' 

"  Yes  but        "I,      ;j '""™'  *•»'  you  uussod  youi-  skiff." 

Mil  M^Xl;:::!"""" '°  ^"^  "■= '"'--  "^  '"0  *,-ff, 

''  Spe^k  out !" 

"  Why,  then,  as  your  father  can't  bo  found  rvn  fl.n  v.i 
...y  ...rjr  disappeared  laat  night,  it  .^JZlT^r^^ZZf 
some  that  he  is  safe  on  board  the  frigate  "' 

awakened  for  his  hfe  was  darkened  by  the  refleetion  that  sueh 
saty  would  have  been  purchased  with  infamy  to  his  name 

"It  cannot  be!   No,  no!"  "■»  name. 

"I  told  the  people  so;  but  they  shake  their  heads.     As  f,.r 
Master  D„-,d,  he  is  very  angry  at  the  thought,  and  win  „„ 
hear  it  spoken  of  before  him." 

mZlftr""'  V™""' ''"'"'"^  "-y '■''"'"  f™">  «■«'''*"»- 

p.mn  as  this  you  hint  at.     If  he  is  on  board  the  frigate  it 
■s  by  foree  he  has  been  taken  !  Your  skiff  might  hie  drifted 
away  Master  Gardner,"  she  added  with  some  severit;. 
It  IS  true,  though  I  fastened  it  well  " 

ance.    His  eool  judgment,  his  eourase  and  l,l«  ,.„el.  i..... 

than  spoken.     «  Does  not  the  vessel  move  very  ..Iow>" 


■an 


118 


NORVEL  iiastinor;  or, 


"No.  She  walks  in  fast,'*  answered  William.  "When  I 
first  came  here  I  could  only  see  the  lift  of  her  foresail,  now  I 
can  see  her  hull.     This  breeze  will  bring  her  in  an  hour." 

With  the  deepest  interest  they  stood  and  watched  the 
seemingly  slow  advance  of  the  now  clearly  defined  vessel. 
T)ie  sun  set,  and  she  was  yet  four  miles  off;  but  the  twilight 
Avas  bright  and  long,  and  they  could  see  her  as  plain  as  before, 
approaching  nearer  and  nearer,  with  the  American  flag  flying 
at  the  peak.  The  men  were  at  length  visible  on  her  decks. 
Her  guns  could  be  counted.  AVith  a  swift- and  stately  move- 
ment she  entered  the  strait  of  the  bay,  disappeared  a  few 
moments  to  their  eyes  behind  the  Beacon,  and  then  reappeared 
within  the  bay.  Nearer  and  nearer  she  drew  to  the  anchorage 
below  the  villa,  and  just  as  the  twilight  was  deepening  into 
the  starry  night,  she  dropped  anchor  within  a  hundred  fathoms 
of  the  shore — so  near  the  view  of  those  on  the  cliff"  uiat  they 
could  look  down  upon  her  decks. 

Mary's  heart  beats  violently  as  she  sees  a  boat  leave  the 
schooner's  side,  and  in  the  obscurity  of  the  shadows  upon  the 
water  fly  shoreward.  She  sees  one  person  leap  to  the  land, 
and  then  flies  to  the  villa — flies  from  meeting  him  whom  she 
had  so  long  been  yearning  to  behold. 

*  Bid  him  come  to  me  !   I  cannot  meet  him  here,  Hetty  !" 
she  had  said  to  her  maid  as  she  left  the  cliff. 

JPardly  had  she  reached  the  villa  when  a  rapid  and  well- 
known  footstep  was  heard  behind  her.  The  next  moment 
Norvel  Hastings  had  all  ^e  loved  dearest  on  earth  clasped  to 
his  joy-beating  heart. 

*'0h,  Norvel,  Norvel !  Now  that  you  are  here  I  am  strong 
again !    But  in  what  affliction  have  you  found  me  !" 

"  I  heard  it  briefly  from  William,  who  met  mc  as  I  landed 
and  came  along  with  me  to  the  gate.  This  is  most  extraordi- 
nary news  I" 

"  But  my  father — my  dear  father  ?" 


THE  PRroATE    IX   THE  OFPIXO.  „q 

It  IS  mysterious.     Tell  mo  «ii        i 
i»  preoioua  when  there  tZZu  f"?    T"-     ^'*'^  """»^»' 
SCO  l,im  last  ?"  ""'°''  '"  ^"  ''™<' '   When  did  you 

of  ^he  frigate  Z  Srnt^ZlT^V-:^'  ""^  '^^P^^'"- 
came  in,  and  also  Dav  d  0"'^?  ,W,llmm  Gardnernow 
wiat  the,  had  witnessed      '^™""="°'"J-     ^''^«=  bo't  related 

"There  is  nae  doot  he  is  t-,',>n  „>• 
mi  David,  shaking  his  heJ^  afo  hfT"  •  ''^■""=  ^"S-"*^'" 
"Ech!  Maister  Norvel  r  It  ,.  , "^  S'™"  ^'''  "''<"»""• 
hundred  thonsan- dolls' allM"'^  ''"'  '"  "'  »"=   Ain 

stark  dead  at  the  foot'o' tj-  °"''^  ""<'''  Namie  foond 
<.er  hnrned  Uke  a  ^  inli;!:: L^ '  ^d"""™  ""'■ 
™oann.e  doings,  ,ou„g  Maister  wZlasl!:;  ^T^^'  -»" 

the  grounds  of  his  suspieions  P'"°'=''''''  *"  fe'™ 

patching  as  if  he  e.peeted  toXtt  otg"^  '''''•"  "^ 

Pipa !   How  goes  uXT^y'lm;^  "'  ""-•   ^^'  -  '"^ 

ve  "feSf hSj  a^dtC";  1-  7^™^^  "^^ 
of  dJight  at  seeing  him  again      ^  "''""'  """"""^ 

"  ^''Pa;  where  have  vou  left  HinTor  9"  j 

"Loftee  going,  wa.^  him  tttk  |  M~  ,^f"«™- 
-  me  eomee  quiekee  tellee  Dirk  him  go  -  "'"  ^"^ 

„.!'':''  IV!!"'' ''  '«  '«'  '0^'!   Mary.  I  wi„  h„  ,,„.  ...  .  , 
her  went 


your 


fua 


(( 


If  h: 


board.     If  he  is  not 'there- 

I'e    hfi    ifl    t^nn.l  I'* 


e  is  not  there  he  is  dead ! 


120 


NOUVEL   IIARTINaS  :   OR, 


"No— (lo  not  give  way  to  despair,  Mary!  I  will  stop  this 
Dirk  Harder,  and  learn  of  him  what  he  knows." 

He  left  her  and  hastened  to  tJic  beach.  The  xebec  was 
viHibIc  making  her  way  out  of  the  bay.  In  a  few  minutes 
Norvel  was  on  the  deck  of  the  schooner. 

"Is  the  rigging  clear  of  tho  starboard  guns?"  he  quickly 
demanded  of  the  gunner. 

"All  cIcHr,  sir!"  responded  the  gunner  with  a  look  of 
surprise. 

"Stand  clear  of  the  guns,  men  all!"  he  shouted  through 
his  trumpet.  "Now  bring  tho  forward  gun  to  bear  on  that 
xebec  you  see  scudding  out  of  the  bay  !" 

"  All  ready,  sir  I" 

"  Fire  !  but  over  her  !" 

The  gun  spoke  loudly,  and  eclioing  among  the  cliffs, 
sounded  like  prolonged  thunder.  Norvel  kept  his  glass  on  the 
xebec.  She  kept  on,  bearing  away  more,  as  if  determined  to 
escape. 

"  Starboard,  bear  upon  the  boat !" 

"  Heady,  sir !"  responded  the  gunner. 

"  At  her  masts— //-c  .'" 

With  his  night-glass  at  his  eye,  Norvel  watched  the  effect 
of  this  shot.     It  carried  away  both  masts  low  with  the  deck. 

"  Man  the  second  cutter." 

In  less  than  a  minute,  it  was  ready  to  obey  the  will  of  its 
master.  "Pull  for  the  xebec.  Board  her,  and  bring  the  pri- 
soner  on  board.  Pull  in  shore,  to  cut  him  off,  should  he  be 
swirari;:ng  from  her  to  make  the  laud.     Cheerily,  men  !" 

The  lieutenant  took  command  of  the  cutter,  and  was  soon 
far  from  the  schooner  with  her.  Norvel  sav/  him  board  the 
xebec,  and  then  impatien  v  paced  the  dect  until  the  boat's 
return.  It  at  length  reached  the  schooner,  bringing  Dirk 
Harder  a  prisoner,  wounded  and  bound.  He  was  laid  on 
deck,  and  Norvel  approached  him. 

"  Harder,  you  arc  known  to  have  boarded  the  frisrate  tho 


THE  PRIOATE  IN   THE   OPFINO.  j^l 

night  before  she  camo  intn  fl.n  k„  i 

'lawn.     The  inftron  „  "tW  >  ""''  T"^  '""''  *»  '«"o  «t 

"I  kno.v  nothing  about  hhn    Twt,  o't"'  °",  '"'•"  ■" 

.uwto.„.ton,_,,„„,,r;:-^--2: 

»l;all  tun.  ,ou  over  to  ti.o  -awt  "■   ho    .  r'" /T'""-    ' 
will  bo  c-oudcmncd  oi-  ac„mtl,.,l     „  .1  ^  "'^'"  y™ 

whether  Mr.  Fielding  waT  "  "oar7  ,    ,  ''  "'"'     "  ''"'  ■"""' 
the  anxiety  of-of  hldlUht",  "  '  ^"  ""''  "'  '"■"' '"  -'-- 

p"™:^^:;:i±::^:;,r'^~-»- 

"Send  him  below      1.  I,    k  ,i  ^  '     ""^w™''  Non-el. 

g""  crgalod  1"     ,"rr'-'«^  "P™  ^^»rvcl  that  the 
^  fc-'fetot-a  iiun,  Without  orders  to  do  so 

i.avo  t:,d  iT.T:'''  ''  '"  ,'"'.''  ■'-"  »  l"-^,  na;dor  would 

for  him  ab   ■  ""'■"  ^"^Pi^'^^^-     Wo  mu.,t  l„„l, 

™r.  tracUewood,  ,n  the  greatest  exeiteraont." 


122 


NOftVEL   HASTINGS;    OR, 


"  Some  new  evil  I"  exclaimed  Mary,  as  she  caught  the  ex- 
prcssion  of  the  Scot's  countenance.  It  was  eloquent  with 
amazement  and  indignation.  He  held  open  papers  in  his 
hand,  and  came  bu.-sting  into  the  front  room  like  a  catapult. 
"  Sec  !  sec  these  !  Wha  would  have  believed  it !  Treason 
and  treachery  !  Edi,  sirs  !  ech.  Miss  Maree  !  Wha  would 
ha'  thought  it;  an'  sich  a  douce  gentleman,  and  sich  a  fair 
daughter,  to  mak  a  traitor  o'  himsel !" 

"AVhat  have  you  discovered?     Who  do  you  speak  of?" 
demanded  Norvcl. 

''Speak  of!  ye  may  weel  ask  that,  man!  Ye '11  ne'er 
believe  it !  But  here 's  the  pappers !  It 's  all  out,  now.  It's 
easy  tell'd  where  your  father  is  now.  Miss  Marie,  puir  child !" 
"  Where  is  he  ?  Explain  your  words,  Mr.  Cracklewood  !" 
"  Read  these  pappers  I  Read  this  letter,  Master  Norvel !  I 
say  nao  mair !  Read  baith  o'  ye !  Judge  for  yer  ainsel' !  My 
opinion  I  Im'  speered  at  ye  !  Oh,  that  I  should  ever  live  to 
see  sich  a  fall !" 

Norvel  had  already  taken  the  copy  of  the  first  letter  which 
Mr.  Fielding  had  addressed  to  Admiral  Parks,  and  was  reading 
it  with  looks  that  expressed  his  emotions  at  the  facts  it  was 
unfolding.     He  then  read  the  reply  of  the  Admiral,  and  .udccl 
with  the  perusal  of  the  "1  rotection."     Until  he  had  finished 
the  third  paper  he  did  not  open  his  lips.     He  then  thrust  them 
into  Mary's  hands  with  "  Read,  read  !  know  the  worst !"  and 
.sitting  down,  covered  his  eyes  with  his  hands  to  press  back 
the  tears   hat  rose  into  them.     David  Cracklewood's  face  did 
not  soften  from  its  severe  and  indignant  expression.     ;Mi.s.s 
Fielding  read,  almost  blindly,  but  still  read  through  to  the 
last  word  the  papers  Norvel  had  placed  in  her  hands,  and  tiioii 
stood  like  a  statue  of  marble,  with  a  white  cheek  and  fixed 
eyes,  stunned  by  the  blow. 

«'  Oh,  it— it  cannot  be  !"  she  at  length  hoarsely  whispered. 
^<  Yet  these  do  not  lie  I" 


caught  the  ex- 
1  eloquent  with 
I  papers  in  hia 
ike  a  catapult. 
5d  it !  Treason 
!  Wha  would 
and  sich  a  fair 

ou  speak  of?" 

!  Yo'll  ne'er 
out,  now.  It's 
ie,  puir  child !" 
racklewood !" 
ster  Norvol !  I 
3r  ainscl' !  My 
Id  ever  live  to 

st  letter  which 
nd  was  reading 
he  facts  it  was 
iral,  and  <'udcu 
le  had  finished 
in  thrust  them 
3  worst !"  and 
to  press  back 
rood's  face  did 
ression.     Jli.ss 
irough  to  the 
inds,  and  then 
cek  and  fixed 

dy  whispered. 


'"'"  '^'""^  W  THE  omNO. 


Thoj  lell  all  the  sad  Wo,  Marv  "  .  v.  « 
Wr  and  endeavouring  to  coJonZ'  Ty  ^7?''  «"'"£  *- 
been  robbed  I  He  hm  himseltZt  \-  ^""^  ^^^"  ^^  "ot 
i"  ".c  frigate  with  them  i"         ^"^  ""^  6°'«'»  """^  and  left 

^02:1..'""''"'"'°' '''-'■''''•'  T^itortwo-fold,  Iti.i, 
;;Do«btIes,  he  w„,  ,„„,  ,„ 

1  Will  never  obey  him  f" 

"  Henceforth,  then,  dear  INr.rv     • 
your  protector  I"  "'^^  «"'^  *«  "»c  the  right  to  be 

"I  have  no  other,  Norvol  T  ,u  ■ 
'»vcd  .no,  he  could  uotZl'JZZ"  T'^'l  """"^^"''cr 

"  How  did  you  come  .    '  ™""'.'»"'y  have  left  ,„e  r- 

l'«via?-  as  JC-e!        '""""'"  "'  '^-«  '-="-,  Master 

M»'  Ma.y,  he  „,ed  often  to  Teat  ?•         ''  S"""'  *■"'•  ^'-'  >""'> 
«■«  like  for  ,„e  there  when  In  ^  ""'"'  ""^  "'■^"'^  «ud 

,j*rwou,dioou:t:  ri^Ln'T-rz-r^^^^^ 

;  I  gave  him  for  the  pl„ee  I  bou7h    t„  t  ,e  "  ""''""K" 

md  pounds."  ^    '  '"  "'<=  """"in'  o'  ton  thou. 

"Bought  what  place?" 

"The  Manor,  Miss  Marv     T 
''"■•«»d  pounds  for  it,  as  he  said  "he      T  1""'  """""«  '«'' 
h^ui  by  retire  fron,  Uincss  1  rT         "  "°"  '''""'' 

'■;^eodal,  proper  and, e;:r4i.r«'  ""^  "^^^ 

„j^°''»  "-nor  of  Fielding  Ma,L?" 
J'  IS  true.  Miss  Mary  " 

h  »  H'gar .   I  give  y  „  ^r ir  T".™ '  ''•'"•"''  ^™  «"^ 

"iVce,  Mary  !    Vour  JefV       '"'«°'  ^°''  »'»  f""  •' 
^»'  what  you  sL !   T  ".  f"!!. ''"!  ''^"°'"'«'  J  •• '    You  know 

";■"  possible,  I  ,„;, ;; :  :z'zrir '  *"'  *•'"'  '^ " 

'»"".cart-your,ove,'M„ry,  tMs  ral,'":^^  "^  -"• 


itil 


124 


NORVEL   HASTINGS  J    OR, 


,1' 


"  These  are  thine,  noble  Norvel ;  they  arc  all  that  is  left 
me  to  bestow  !  I  would  have  enriched  thee,  and  I  was  happy 
in  the  thought  that  I  had  it  in  my  power  to  bestow  wealth  on 
him  on  whom  I  had  bestowed  my  heart — but  that  dream  is 
passed !" 

"  Till  this  moment,  I  knew  not  how  to  prize  you,  Mary ! 
Will  you,  for  tho  present,  take  my  foster-mother's  protection 
till  I  can  bestow  on  you  mine  ?" 

a  is^a — na — do  ye  thcnk  Davy  Crackle  wood  is  a  tatooed 
Omadhoon,  baith  o'  ye,  that  ye  are  treatin'  him  this  gait,  and 
ganging  to  lave  the  hoose  as  if  it  were  a-fire,  as  puir  drunken 
llardcr's  was  the  morn'  ?  Tho'  I  bought  the  place  (and  it  was 
at  yer  father's  sore  urging),  it  'a  your  ain.  Miss  Mary,  as  lang 
as  ye  '11  live  in  it." 

"  Your  goodness  I  deeply  feel,  but  I  will  accept  the  shelter  of 
Mrs.  Gardner's  home,  good  David.    I  need  her  kind  sympathy." 

"  Wal,  I  ne'er  could  ha'  thocht  yer  father  would  ha'  done 
this.  When  1  foon  the  key  and  opened  the  secretary,  and  lit 
on  these  pappers,  it  almaist  made  the  bluid  turn  to  water  in  nij 
body !  It 's  all  plain  as  my  hand  now,  why  he  wanted  to  sell 
yestereen,  the  frigate  being  at  hand,  to  tak  alt  his  goods." 

"Master  David,"  said  Norvel  impressively,  "if  you  retyped 
tho  daughter,  do  not  speak  of  the  shame  of  the  father !" 

"  I  '11  ne'er  do  it— I  '11  ne'er  do  it.  Miss  Mary  !" 

"  Thanks,  David  !   This  night  T  will  remain  your  gue.st,  bul| 

to-morrow " 

"To-morrow  you  shall  be  my  wife — nr  •,  dear  Mary?" 
The  maiden  made  no  reply.     David  took  his  leave,  Sii)iD?| 
he  was  going  to  the  warehouse  to  sleep  as  usual;  Norvel  soon 
took  leave  of  his  affianced  bride  and  sought  his  mother's  c 
tagc,  where  he  sat  long  talking  over  the  events  of  tlic  (^\ 
with  William  on  one  side  of  him,  and  Pipa,  crouching  lovioflj 
at  his  feet,  looking  up  into  his  face  with  his  eyes  full  of  aff*| 
tion  and  gratitude. 


=r«-  ^QATE 


all  that  is  left 
nd  I  was  happy 
estow  wealth  on 
t  that  dream  is 

rizc  you,  Mary ! 
hcr's  protection 

[>d  is  a  tatoocd 
ni  this  gait,  and 
as  puir  drunken 
(lace  (and  it  was 
ss  Mary,  as  lang 

pt  the  shelter  of 
iind  sympathy." 
would  ha'  (lone 
ccrctary,  and  lit 
n  to  water  in  uij 
e  wanted  to  sell 
his  goods." 
"  if  you  retyped  I 
be  father !" 
iry  r 
.  your  guest,  but  I 

car  Mary  ?" 
lis  leave,  sup?  I 
alj  Norvclsoosj 
bis  mother's  C'l 
ents  of  tlic  tkl 
juching  loviofl'l 
syes  full  of  aff«'| 


^^  THE  OFFlNa. 


125 


.  ^^' wilJ  now  return  to  .1     . 
"^«g  Fieldinrr  j.,„     V^  *^'«  iapless  merchant      7 

fr-n  Will   ^^'T^^^  '^  *'^e  loaCkiZrJT''  ''^^'  ^e 
%ate.    We  loft  h;,„        '""*'>&  m  order  to  1  ^*™ 

kwed  on  hi,T  "'"'""<'  bordering'    ,  ^    ""'  '»  "-o 

''"* ".  n^itr:'' '"  '■""^^  «wf  :':■'''''■■'''''''''-'' 

,     l^iat  availed  L  ,?' '"''™''-  ''      "  """«"■'" 

r»°f  bales  audbotr  "'f"'""  "'-"'-seance,  all,  ■  - 

puree  of  nn..      ^  ^'^"es  are  nnt  ti     ,^    ^  ^^  ^^iufr 

i      •'=  iiat,  uiid  ever  an.I  "''^"  ""^'^^^  to  LaiJ  H.«  i 

a*         "'""'""""•'p«u.o«,d.Stt\t 


126 


NORVEL  HASTINGS;   OE, 


terror  to  the  darkness  and  the  waves.  He  saw  the  frigate 
when  she  came  out — he  saw  the  xebec  in  which  Dirk  left  her 
to  run  back  into  the  bay  j  the  latter  passed  near  him,  and  his 
screams  were  heard  by  the  young  man,  but  he  thought  them 

<«  The  shriek  of  the  murdered  man 
He  had  sunk  in  the  deep,  deep  sea." 

The  water  gained  upon  him,  the  boat  drifted  farther  and 
farther  from  the  land,  and  day  broke,  and  the  sun  rose  and 
smiled  on  sea  and  laud,  but  rose  only  to  show  him  no  help 
near,  and  the  wide  waste  around  him  a  grave  ever  heaving  its 
blue  billowy  arms  to  embrace  him. 

"Oh,  Lord!  oh.  Lord!  this  is  dreadful!"  he  at  length 
groaned,  sitting  down  in  the  stern  of  the  boat,  from  very 
exhaustion.    "  I  must  die,  I  see  it  plainly.     I  must  drown  in 
sight  of  my  house  !     I  can  sec  it  even  here.     Oh,  that  they 
could  see  me  !    Mercy  !  the  water  has  nearly  filled  the  boat, 
I  cai4  throw  no  more  out !     When  it  fills,  I  shall  sink  with  it  I 
Oh,  my  house  !  my  child !"  he  cried,  stretching  his  hands  in 
the  direction  of  the  villa,  from  which  he  was  full  five  miles 
distant,  being  at  least  four  miles  from  the  Beacon.     "  When 
shall  I  see  you  again  ?     Oh,  my  soul !  I  have  sins !  I  have 
sins !   The  water  rushes  in  faster  !   It  comes  in  at  the  row-locks  j 
now !    I  have  a  good  many  sins !    I  can't  remember !   Ot, 
mercy  !    I  shall  perish  in  my  sins  !    From  all  conspiracy  and  i 
heresy  and  schism — no,  that  is  not  it.     From  the  flesh,  tlic 
world,  and  the  devil!   Yes!  good  Lord  deliver  us !    Oli,  I 
forget  how  to  pray  !     I  have  thought  more  of  my  ledger  tliao 
the  Liturgy,  and  now  I  am  drowning!    Mercy  !   Is  there  do  [ 
boat — no  ship — no  rock  !    She  sinks — she  is  going  down! 
Oh,  save — sa — mrr — "  and  the  boat  filled  with  water,  sniij 
denly  sunk  beneath  him  with  his  weight,  and  both  disappcart 
beneath  the  surface  of  the  sea. 

An  instant,  for  an  instant  there  was  no  sign  on  all  the  ww| 


17  the  frigate 
Dirk  left  her 
him,  and  his 
thought  them 


1  farther  and 

sun  roHe  and 

him  110  help 

cr  heaving  its 

he  at  length 
it,  from  very 
mst  drown  in 
Oh,  that  they 
lied  the  boat, 
1  sink  with  it  I 
;  his  hands  iu 
full  five  niilos 
;on.     "  Wi:cn 

sins !  I  have 
;  the  row-locks 
iiembcr !  Obi 
lonspiracy  and  i 

the  flesh,  tlic 
;r.us!  Oli,  I 
ly  ledger  tliat 
1    Is  there  D«  I 

going  dovn! 
fch  water,  sad- 1 
th  disappeared  I 


ocean  of  a  man  Ko* 

head  ,,appea«d,      d\:Cam\';'*';,  ""'  ''™'  ""O  "•«  H^ 

ever  Jre».  Hi,  hand  struTa  bT  f  ".""""""'"^  ""'"  '"'"•» 
™e  of  the  thwart,  of  thT toa,  ^  T^  ^^"^^  "'  "  "aa 
«een  floating  af„.,„j  ^j  ^^  ^"'"'«"-  "-d  another  wa, 
placed  then,  together     The.  "^  ''•""'  "^  "-em,  and 

'"•»  cravat  and  Ind  themi  ^"'1  '"'"'  "'«'  ''^  '«'««=d 
-Id  bo  b„o,ed  „p  witho"  SX-  ^»  •■<=  f«"  'hat  he 
m-ned  the  death.,t.re  of  hiZZ  i  ,  t  "^  "'  ^"^  '"- 
«  ialf  at  aea.  There  was  aoICour  in  .T"  'J'^^"  ""^ 
ie  wa,  released  but  temporarilv  frZ  A  J''  ^^  '""  ">»* 
"-  3till  «,tting  bin.  o.e™^/'lV"  i  ["  ""^  »''»'  ««' 
«■<»  iato  hi,  soul  I  He  thZh  ot  ?''  '"""•'  "«'»S''t, 
by  charts,  and  he  wished  he  fad  d    "'".'"""«'  '''"^"  ■■»""> 

miserably  pravinir  af  onnfK    ^         ^*^®^'  »'  one  moment 
half-forgo"  a'SCr'"'T"''^'"*'»""e*or;« 

'^t^iiinea  m  the  viro»f      tt«  ^  *  »      .  •/ ■    -^"6  sun 

"ho  feels  that  it  ,1„  ,!:  ^?'f  r  ■'  :; V^  'he  e,es  of  a  „a„ 
looked  around  the  horlon  a^™l  """  ^J.'"''^  ■'•  «"  'hen 
»«li°g  »kj  and  sea    f^Th    L  '»kj"«  farewell  of  the 

1>»»M  and  hi,  spirit  wa,M°„,r""f'  "^  '"'  ""K"'*  had 
»f  foartbat  had  beenuZ  i  "tL"  f""°'  '^  "■»  "-'"h 
'he  sentenced  ori,ninal,t;,t  s^oer^  Tr  '""""^'  "^» 
ever,  he  meets  the  gallows  with  n  I  ""^  P'-<'»»->ced 

-ii«o„s  of  mind'toIoZ^frL^r:  ■-*■*--'  -"""y; 

nation,  or  oouraife      So  wJf I,  Tv." '  "'  "-' ^'■^•""enue,  piety,  resig- 
'"ouMe.;  he\«,'l::^\    ;»-^--    He  "^ -»* 

'^"a  screechmgs  around  for 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;    OH, 


128 

aro ;  he  had  ceased  to  confess  his  wickednesses )  but  with  a 
half-dead  look,  a  face  that  scarcely  expressed  love  of  life,  ho 
hung  upon  his  little  raft,  and  in  a  mental  stupor  waited  the 
death  to  which  he  had  resigned  himself,  from  inability  longer 
to  struggle  or  expect  life.  ' 

But  this  last,  dull  look  which  he  slowly  sent  around  him 
as  the  sun  went  down,  was  suddenly  transformed  into  an 
expression  of  life,  hope,  joy  !  Oh,  what  a  change,  so  wonderful 
and  complete  ! 

"  A  sail !  A  vessel !  I  shall  be  saved  I"  he  cried ;  and  life 
was  re-born  in  him.  He  waved  his  almost  palsied  hand,  but 
feebly ;  ho  tried  to  shout,  but  his  voice  came  back  weakly  to 
his  ears.  He  knew  they  could  not  hear  him;  he  hoped  they 
would  see  him  !  He  threw  water  up  high  with  his  hand,  ho 
tried  to  raise  himself  from  the  surface  to  be  seen.  But 'the 
schooner  came,  passed  by  within  a  third  of  a  mile  of  him,  and 
when  he  saw  her  stern-posts,  he  fell  over  on  his  face  with  a 
bitter,  wailing,  indescribable  cry,  and  lay  like  a  dead  man,  the 
raft  only  upholding  his  head  and  keeping  him  afloat. 

"Jake,  what  is  that  are?  Look  sharp,  boy,  it  may  be  « 
seal !  Put  your  helm  up  and  keep  away  for  it,"  said  the  old 
mackerel-catcher,  as  he  came  in  sight  of  tfie  merchant's  head 
above  the  water. 

"It's  a  man,  dad,  a  dead  man,"  answered  the  lad. 

The  old  man  sent  a  keen  glance  to  leeward,  saw  the  waves 
lift  and  sway  the  gray  hair  over  the  collar  of  the  dark  coat 
Ho  caught  the  tiller,  tacked  and  run  the  vessel  directly  up  to 
the  spot,  luffed  and  brought  it  under  his  bows.  The  next 
moment  he  had  a  rope  around  it,  and,  by  the  aid  of  the  boy. 
drew  Mr.  Fielding  on  board. 

"  He 's  dead,  dad  !" 

"No;  turn  him  over!  Why  it  is  Squire  Fielding.  Bless 
us  and  save  us  all !  Jump,  boy-the  rum  I  He's  got  life  in 
him,  lor  he -8  warm!  Squire  Fielding  a  drowniu'"out  here! 
n  hat  has  been  the  matter  ?     Quick,  boy  !" 


fi!p«nit 


"Here  it  is,  dad." 

-H!itteX!r;av:t"rr™'^-  ^'>--'  ^^ 

■•3  one  good  thi„g.    What  in  ,  r  r**  ""  «""  ™'"i  that 
«™'Upe.t,et.    lubM»  b;,!!  It^rd''""/^'^^   «» 

m  their  officious  humanity  anrf  I     v.  P''"'^^'"'  rum-bath 

-on  revived,  and  «,  *  t  I'l^S  to';'"'  '''"'■     «» 
remarkable  preservation      Ho  '7  ?  ""f  '""^'^'""'^ »''  W' 

overwhelmed  hi„i  with  ol,       •  '"""S'^'sod  the  old  ,ua„,  and 

Jike  Mr.  Fielding  fhink  peo'e  '"  *f"'''  *''»'"  ""'^  "'on 

in  the  artiele  of'deatta'n dl  I!  T  '  '"  ""  "'"■  --"' 
Hche,  whieh  had  been  tlught  l^l  L  r",'  "'"'"'  '"^""^  '» 
aiatety  examined  his  poekelbo  H    s      nrif  ^  ''  '»- 

::X:ilir"'""-'---™^-r^^^^^^^^ 
^i^ri^dt^oSr  f "''  -"  -'  "- 

»d  prevent  his  familyZm  bei  !  If-  '""' '"  '""  '"=  «"•' 
"efore  going  round  intVtheba\otT°"'  "'  ""^  ^''""»^' 
Y  "»  °"J-'ion,  as  he  needeT;,  J;  '  '^  "^r  '"•,""""■« 
«t  once  lie  down  to  ffefc  thpm        /u  '  ''°^  ^'«  ^^^"1^1 

,^-^  s.um,er  in  thfrr^Vte  "^^TZ:  'T  ''Y"- 

wouM  not  disturb  the  t::;:^;;  "o'    ^rin?.":??     "" 
t™  on  board  in  charge  of  his   o^  L  T  '       ''  '""''"« 

family,  who,  one  after  Ve  o    r^ent  7      1  ""  '''"'  '"'^  " 

filfl«n,-« .  .        "''"^^^  went  down  to  peon  of.  th^ 


It  was  ten  o'  clock  at  night  before 


130 


NORVEL  HASTINGS :  OB, 


Mr.  Fielding  awoke.     Ho  was  much  refreshed,  and  a  good 
supper  cooked  by  the  good  wife  made  him  himself  again.     He 
was  now  anxious  to  reach  home,  to  which  it  was  a  three  miles' 
sail  round  the  coast.     The  old  man  embarked  with  him,  and 
the   wind   being  fair,   they   soon   wore  running  under  the 
Beacon  and  gliding  into  the  bay.     The  conversation  which  he 
had  with  the  fisherman  as  they  sailed,  made  known  to  him 
who  commanded  the  schooner  ho  had  seen  from  his  raft  at  sea, 
and  which  he  now  beheld  at  anchor  in  the  bay.     His  eyes 
searched  for  the  frigate,  and  not  seeing  her,  and  as  the  old 
man  could  give  him  no  account  of  her,  he  believed  she  had 
left  altogether,  when  he  had  seen  her  coming  out  of  the  bay 
an  hour  before  the  dawn.     But  why  had  she  gone  without 
seeing  him  ?     Perhaps  they  had  sent  for  hi;n,  and  not  finding 
him,  had  left  I   Such  were  the  kind  of  inquiries  that  entered 
his  mind  as  they  approached  the  beach  where  ho  was  to  dis- 
embark. 

"  Come  to  me  to-morrow,"  he  said  to  the  fisherman,  "  and  I 
will  give  thee  gold  for  thy  service." 

"Nay;  I  will  never  take  pay  for  saving  a  man's  life,  and 
taking  him  home  to  his  family,"  answered  the  fisherman, 
stoutly. 

"  Not  money  ?" 

"  I  jiave  better  pay  than  money,  sir— the  recollection  of 
having  saved  the  life  of  a  fellow-being.  Good-night,  sir.  If  I 
could  ask  any  other  reward,  it  would  be  to  see  your  daughter 
when  she  meets  you  1  But  I  must  home  to  my  little  ones. 
Good-night,  sir." 

The  boat  put  oflF  from  the  shore  on  its  return ;  but,  hailed 
by  the  schooner,  boarded  her  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then 
made  sail  again.  Mr.  Fieldinp'  made  his  way  up  the  cliff- 
r»ath,  but  with  some  difficulty;  as  he  was  much  weakened  by 
what  he  had  undergone  since,  about  the  same  hour,  the  night 
before,  he  had  descended  the  same  path,  tc  embark  in  Gard- 


I,  and  a  good 
(If  again.     He 

a  three  miles' 
vith  him,  and 
ing  Tinder  the 
ition  which  he 
mown  to  him 
bis  raft  at  sea, 
ly.  His  eyes 
id  as  the  old 
eved  she  had 
it  of  the  bay 

gone  without 
id  not  finding 

that  entered 
he  was  to  dis- 

rman,  "and I 

an's  life,  and 
le  fisherman, 


collection  of 
;ht,  sir.  If  I 
3ur  daughter 
y  little  ones. 

;  but,  hailed 
es,  and  then 
up  the  cliff- 
iveakened  by 
ir,  the  night 
irk  in  Gard- 


I-HE  FRIGATE    IN  THE   OFFING. 


»«  a  privateer  captain;   now  Lt       "'"''    ' '''^  P™«peet, 
he  disappearance  of  Mr  ^I^TT'  ,"'  -"'Jer  at 

«»  bo  on  board  the  fri„ate    „„„         '°'"  ""^  '"'"^'If  believed 
-ion  With  Mar,;  anfta'nylr 'v «  "''''  -"^-P'a^d 
event,  natnraily  brought  up'  wheVth''.   '  "v"""'  "■«  «-" 
;«   bounded  Pedro,  the  Creole    witlh"  """"  "P™'  "■«' 
'"-PS  with  the  splendour  of  1  „       'I  '^''  "«'"«<'  "ke 
mcate.  '^  »*  'be  news  he  had  to  commu- 

"Master  Fielding  comet    Fl  «  « 
-=1  bin,  I    Mc  shake  him  I    Me  tellfT-  T'"  """"^ '    «« 
todos!    He  up  de  house  I"    """""""»'    Kun-vamos~ 

Pedro  scarcely  remain^  *» 
wbon  he  disappeared,    ltd  f^  ^T"""  '"  ""^  --^^ 
"J  be  flew  baei  to  the  villa     But t       .T  '""'  "'  '"■«  «'*      ' 
He  had  only  seen  El  Sefior  and  !k      ^^  ''"  "«*'"'''«  "Ofe. 
the  tidings.  "' "'"'  """>  bastcned  to  make  inown 

'^'a'^SSetnT::\td°r""^^ 

paternal  embrace.     The  ml  Lt  '^'^f'^^'  '-^ed  in  his 

Pnse  and  curiosity  answered  T^  ^"'  q-estionsof  sur- 
« in  a  skiff  to  eLmin::^^l'^;'f  """  ""  ''«'  «°- 
hay  aroused  his  suspicions  and  t  «PP«a«nce  in  the 

•iriven  out  to  sea.  Save  in  th!  '  '•"«  ""  -""•'  ^'  bad  been 
f*e'y,  that  led  him  to  't  ilt  Tll^'t'"''  ''»  '""^  ««ated 
-eount  of  his  sufferingsf  l^^t  f  '  '"'  ^"^  "'^■»  "  ^"'1 
boat,  (which  Norvel  then  lid  1.^™'  ^'  '''^  '"^'=k"el- 
the  water.)  "^"'  '"  bad  seen  taking  him  from 

The  news  of  the  return  <if  n,„  \» 
I>avid  Cracklewood/^r;l'^^'?^°^«-^      its  fligH,  reached 

recounted  the  piJWe  ofX"''''\""  "'P^^^'^^'''    ^«  «ow 
P     «'  '^  *^«  warehouse,  and  watched  Mr. 


182 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OB, 


Fielding's  face,  which  betrayed  secret  pleasure  and  satisfaction 
rather  than  grief,  and  David  knew  why! 

The  Scot  now  sat  gloomily  and  silent.  The  narrative  of 
Mr.  Fielding's  sufferings  did  not  move  him.  Norvel  now  took 
Mary's  ha'^d  to  congratulate  her  upon  her  Tiher's  return, 
when  Mr.  Fielding  with  a  frown  of  haughty  surprise  said' 
"You  forget  your  place,  young  man— this  young  lady  is  my 
daughter  1  My  late  danger  does  not  break  down  all  barriers ! 
You  should  know  your  place,  fisherman  !  I  have  suspected 
something  of  this  before  \" 

Mary  Fielding  coloured,  but  it  was  an  angry  flush  on  her 
beautiful  features,  at  this  open  insult  to  Norvel.  He  stood 
quietly  and  said  nothing;  for  tL.  insulter  was  her  father. 
But  David  Cracklewood  did  not  keep  silent.  He  rose  up, 
advanced  a  pace,  and  elevating  his  tall  guant  form  before  the' 
merchant,  he  said  in  a  stern  voice 

"  Ye  should  know  yoib-  place,  Maister  Fielding  !  Ye  ha' 
coom  bock,  and  the  Lord  be  thankit  for  your  bonnio  chield's 
sake ;  but  ye  ha'  no  cam  bock  to  play  this  high  game  wid 
this  gallant !  Hech  !  ye  need  na'  froon  an'  look  black  in  the 
e'e  at  me—I  ha'  ceased  to  hoold  ye  in  enny  respec'  or  con- 
sideration!  I'm  a  plain  mon,  and  ye '11  get  a  plain  men's 
mmd,  an'  ye  listen  weel.'' 

"  What  does  this  mean  ?  Do  you  insult  me  in  my  own 
house  ?"  exclaimed  the  merchant  with  indignant  demand. 

"  Ye  ha'  insulted  a  better  mon  than  me  an'  that  is  Master 
Norvel  here;  an'  as  for  ain  hoos,  I  ha'  in  my  pocket  the  deed 
o't  that  mak's  it  mine." 
"Fool!    Leave,  sir!" 

"Nay,  ye  sail  stay  in  the  hoose  as  lang  as  ye  like  to,  but 
It 's  na'  that  I  'm  speerin'  aboot.  Ye  best  keep  patient,  gude 
sir !  Since  you  left  we  ha'  discovered  yer  letters  to  the  Ad- 
miral,  and  I  ha'  your  British  Projection  in  my  pocket !  Ye 
'""'   "~~ *  i'"'- '     ^^  it  wore  na    ror  your  sweet  bonnie 


id  satisfaction 

I  narrative  of 
rvel  now  took 
-her's  return, 
surprise  said, 
g  lady  is  my 
all  barriers ! 
ive  suspected 

flush  on  her 
1.  He  stood 
s  her  father. 
He  rose  up, 
Qi  before  the 

ig!  Ye  ha' 
•nnio  chield's 
^h  game  wid 
black  in  the 
spec'  or  con- 
plain  men's 

!  in  my  own 
demand, 
lat  is  Master 
ket  the  deed 


like  to,  but 
•atient,  gude 
s  to  the  Ad- 
)ocket !  Ye 
weet  bonnie 


^^  '■"wa™  IN  Tai  om«o. 


%  and  all  .boot  iU  H  „h  "  iT,l  p  '"^''  """»»  '»  i^" 
ye  lost  yer  oar,  an'  could"  SZ  T"  "  ""  '"''  y»"  «"■" 
your  goods !"  «*"  '"'  *«>»Ki  to  sail  awaj  wid 

;;  you  have  broken  open  my  desk,  robber  "      * 
^ankee„i,i::„r::;'^;-   JWe's  a  "'"■''-d  an' fifty 
a"  under  arms.     I  i.-  i^,";   """f  "  ""'"  ^a'  'ho  warehouse 
put  under  arrest  for  what  ^VhTd     '°  "l"'^  '"""»'■'  'o  ''»'  yo 
'0'  this  b„.ve  .oungS';,  T' ,  ''"^  ''-P  I"'"',  an'd 
a  wedding  end  it  a'  »  """^  ^"^  """""o  daughter  make 

"I '11  die  first  I" 

"  Yera  weoi '  I  '11  ]  f      u  * 

^  "Nay,  leave  h  nT  ol'  7ra''"  "r  ™  "^  '^«--"' 

^  Way  do  not  foree  my  father!"  ^ 

"B^y  u^wLMht:'  "'*;"''  *''^'  »'-^'  "-•" 
juu  wisu  this  union,  Marv?'' 

Yes   R\r"    Til*  -^-laijr  J 

"The;i;oJeXXra?t:\'"''^^^^^^^^^^^ 

"Then  we'll  foree  a  little  n"     " ^'';"'"'^'\''y ^"-•" 

£o„  w,ll  rob  me  at  my  throat."  ^' 

"-  Wll  to  her,  and  the„y!l,  '"  ""^"^^  guard-honso.     Gif 

»"-  your  goods,  or  ^^^^  T^  '"^^  ^^  -"<  *»  Halifax 
Mr  F,oHi„g  f„„^j  ^^^^ 

•■^'"e  jjavid,  whose  indignation  7  i^-        P'"^^"^  the  indomi- 

indignation  at  h,s  treaehery  had  ererted  a 


mm 


i^m 


ma 


484 


NOBVEL  HASTINGS  ;  OR, 


contempt  for  Lira  that  overmastered  all  former  respect.  He 
felt  the  imminenoy  of  his  danger.  He  knew  that  to  fall  into 
the  hands  of  the*  Americans  after  what  had  happened,  would 
be  perilous  to  his  life.  He  was  convinced  that  his  daughter 
loved  the  jpung  privateer  captain,  and  that  he  had  no  power 
w  prevent  their  union.  He  calculated,  that,  without  the  bill 
of  exchange,  his  fortune  from  the  sales  of  his  merchandise, 
which  he  supposed  was  on  its  way  in  the  frigate  to  Halifax,  to 
await  him  there,  would  be  ample  for  his  wants;  and  so,  influ- 
enced  bj  these  seveyal  considerations,  he  drew  from  his  pocket- 
book  the  bill  for  £:iO,000  and  placed  it  in  Norvel's  hand. 

"There,  young  man,  take  that,  t^ad  take  my  daughter! 
But  only  on  condition  that  you  surrender  to  me  that  protec 
tion  and  the  letters,  and  promise  to  give  ne  passage  to-morrow 
early,  in  your  schooner,  to  the  first  English  territory  — to 
St.  Johns,  or  Halifax 

« I  promise  it,  Mr.  Fielding.  Here  are  the  papers  you 
ask,"  answered  Norvel,  placing  the  bill  in  Mary's  passive 
hands  as  he  spoke;  "but  not  for  reward,  but  becau'se  you 
have  consented  to  my  union  with  Mary.  I  can  now  do  any- 
thing for  you,  sir;  though  my  patriotism  revolts  at  your  trea- 
son  against  your  adopted  country." 

"I  may  be  excused  for  this,  perhaps,"  answered  Mr. 
Fielding,  deprecatingly.  « I  am  an  Englishman  by  birth  and 
prejudices.  It  is  natural  that  I  should  wish  to  remove  my" 
property  and  my  person  from  the  country  at  war  with  Eng. 
land.  But  I  see  by  your  countenances  that  I  ha-  .j  no  sym- 
pathy  in  wha*  I  have  done.  I  will  therefore  depart;  but  I 
protest  against  the  force  which  has  compelled  me  to  act  as  I 
have  done.  Only  the  fear  of  arrest  has  made  me  yield  my 
daughter  to  you,  young  man;  though  I  had  been  told,  long 
since,  of  these  love  passages  between  you.  Go,  my  daughter, 
and  be  happy  with  this  peasant.  I  am  satisfied  that  your  tastes 
are  low,  by  the  choice  you  make.  I  therefore  the  more  easilv 
cast  you  from  my  bosom." 


THE  miQATE  IN   THJB  OFFim. 


mnro  aaMlv 


fo'  J0„.     M^ter  David  C,ttl'7ff"^  '^'^««'»'  I  had 

life,  8ir."  ^'  ^°  *"''  ">»  «»f«  will  it  be  for  your 

ab^tS.'  r4^Z  ^  7  ^-«'"«'  ""J  be  Honour- 
she  should  be  we<S«  ""■  ^"^  •""  "  «>rffor  her  husband, 

"  Sir  1"  cried  Norvel-  but  iv,f      i 
»d  D.,id  both  cheeked  h"l    th"      T"  ^^  ""»"'  "a^r 
the  o^W  ^  p.eiu«  U.\^  ,^  :;^^^7W  pieadin^ 

-i^rrsT^ittel^^-'  "--»- 

weel  eneugh  how  the  yoZ  folk  I  '^^  T^'  ""■  ^  ^""""^ 
tera  stood;  »d  I  bid  t„a  '"l!  ''''  '"  ^' '''  '^»'«- 
toon  for  the  gude  mon,  Jm  ItS     ^""^  '"  ""^  "^^t 

"  That  is  satisfactory     J  7,1        ,.""  """  *''"  '"»™" 
Heave."  ^^    ^ '""=«« 'he  unfilial  child  wed  ere 

'^'How  have  I  been  nnfilial,  father  ?" 

i*y  not  following  my  fortunes." 
A  am  an  American  mrl  anrl  T  i 
to  leave  her  at  such  a  tZlLl  f'  ""'  °°™"-^  "">  "oU 
foes.     Wealth  and  rank"'   '  T       "'""  '"  ""^  ^'^<'  "^  her 
but  I  would  prefer  an  hlh,„  I  T"""  ""^  "'"'"  "">  there, 
aoe in ilnglan^d.    I ZeZdt        "°  "^  "''"'  ^°"  '»  "  P-^- 
of  this  night  of  you  ll  tors  to  t,    "p  "^""l "''  ""' ""» '''«'=»v-y 
%lish  Protectfon  ha  'p"o ltd  "^^^^^^  ^t"'-'.  »d  of  you^ 
*cm  to  look  upon  vou  a«  !  ,-  "  '^""^  '"  '"'='  that  I 

>»y  father,  who  has  hcM  h  '"^  ^  "'"""''  '"^""^^  'hat 
oath  of  allegiance^  thf .!  "'  ''''''  '^^'^'^"'^'''  ""=»  the 
^•^fget  aii  and  side  with  ih^  7""""  T  "  "^"^"g^^";  «iiouid 
adoption!-  ^  *^'  ^'^  ^«*i"«*  tj^e  laad  of  his 


136 


U 


ilsMli 


■I  v«^ 


.„i» 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


"Enough,  child  !  What  I  have  done  I  have  done  without 
consulting  thee,  and  will  abide  by  it.  I  hope,  at  least,  in  my 
son  to  find  that  filial  devotion  which  I  seek  for  in  vain  in  you. 
Master  Cracldewood,  as  this  is  your  house,"  added  the  mer- 
.  chant  with  cold  irony,  "  I  must  crave  your  hospitality  till 
morning." 

"It  is  na  my  hoose,  but  your  daughter's,  sir;  and  here  I 
gic  her  the  authority  to  be  mistress  of  it,  maid  or  wife."  As 
the  generous  and  honest  Scot  spoke,  he  placed  in  Mary's  hand 
the  deed  of  the  estate.  "This,  my  bonnie  3Iary,  makes  ye 
the  owner  n'  the  land  and  all  upon  it.  Na  ane  word !  not  ane 
syllable.  I  ha'  eight  thoosan'  poonds  mair,  and  bein'  a  lone 
mon  without  a  wit>y,  it's  eneugh  for  David  Cracklewood,  an' 
ane  o'  these  days  I  may  be  giving  that  to  yer  bairns— 
wha  kens  ?" 

With  this  speech  the  large  hearted  David  strode,  a  full  cloth- 
yard  at  a  stride,  out  of  the  room,  and  his  tall,  gaunt  figure 
was  lost  in  the  darkness  without,  before  Mary  could  recover 
from  her  confusion  to  protest  against  such  munificent  gene- 
rosity. Norvel  followed  him,  as  he  saw  Mary  wished  to  bo 
alone  with  her  father. 

^  "I  will  go  to  my  room.  Lady  Hastings,  with  your  permis- 
sion," said  the  merchant,  into  whose  cold  and  unfatherly  heart 
Sathanas  seemed  bodily  to  have  entered.     Here  may  we  ask— 
would  death,  the  mere  passing  out  of  life,  when  a  few  hours 
ago  he  was  exposed  to  it,  would  it  have  altered  the  soul  of 
that  man  ?  would  ho  have  had  a  better  heart  and  a  better 
spirit  in  the  other  world,  had    he  been  there  now  instead 
of 'in  this?    It  seems  a  delusion,  this  noticn  that  the  mere 
transition  of  a  man  from  this  life  to  the  one  beyond  death, 
producrts   also   a   transmutation.     Doubtkss,   most   men   go 
•nto  the  other  life  with  the  same  hearts,  tempers,  indomi- 
table wills,  that  they  hu/e  here.     In  our  merchant's  case,  wo 
see  nothing  in  death  that  would  have  made  him  a  different 


-  — --^ 


THE   FRIOATE   IN  THE   OPriNO.  137 

being  in  cliaracter  than  he  i,,  at  this  moment      R„t  „„  1 

j-^'t-ii^ht^;::--:^;;^^^^^^^^ 

J.nv  attachment  for  this  young  man-by-_"  ^  ■"'" 

b»d;  and  'yo.  n.„:;pe!ro7L!: Z:^  t^^  T 
at  loa«t,  spare  vour  harsh  words  "  ^  "^  '"'"'' 

wiZwTornS""''"'''"""""-^"'^---''' 

s,"'xr:iernrriT.\'-^^^'- 

<looply  grievod  her    and  ^      u^'u     '"""'^   ''""'■»»'  •>«< 
behold  Lnalrna'ft".  "''"  """  ^""^  '"'s'"  °»-» 

'ourfulnoss      tZT  ""'"'"'•  "*'''"'"'  ''^'  ^  """'ten* 

■"•^  bie:;,  a^rteSitrtr;  17 1  -' 

or  forth.    From  that  moment,  Nor;,  h  d    , fh^tefr    't 

An  hour  after  sunrise,  the  minister  arrived      He  wn« 
aucted  to  tho  vi'llo  u,r  Ti    •  i      ,  "^"v^-u-     He  was  con- 

toi  et,  went  out  nnA  ;..  .      *  mistress  in  her 

,.  J^Mly,  that  Mary,  although   sad  in  her  joy,  smi. 

o»:;":rs:;::i;:r:-:-r----^ 


las 


NOaVEL   HASTINGS;   OR, 


The  pretty  little  cockney  maid  smiled  archly  in  her  turn, 
but  was  mute. 

At  ttjn  o'clock,  the  parties  were  assembled  in  the  hall ;  so 
that  the  large  crowd  of  retainers  of  the  farm,  the  fishermen, 
and  not  least,  the  oflBcers  and  crew  of  the  privateer,  might  all 
witness  the  marriage  of  the  handsome  Norvel  with  the  beau- 
tiful heiress  of  Fielding  Manor.     The  Manager  was  present, 
with  a  dark  and  dissatisfied  countenance,  which  he  made  an 
effort  to  make  express  cheerful  assent  to  what  was  going  on. 
Pipa  was  there ;  his  dwarfish  face,  lighted  up  as  it  jras  by  his 
happy  eyes,  was  fairly  beaming  with  angelic  beauty.     Mrs. 
Gardner  was  there — calm,  and  placid,  and  matronly;  fully 
sympathizing  in  the  happiness  of  her  adopted  son.     Pedro 
was  there,  dressed  in  the  height  of  Creole  dandyism,  with 
laced  wristbands,  scarlet  vest,  bell-buttons  on  his  embroidered 
jacket,  flowers  in  his  breast,  and  a  bouquet  in  his  hand.     He 
looked  pleased,  smiled  constantly,  showing  his  white  teeth, 
and  seemed  to  be  everywhere  at  the  same  moment.     Hetty 
thorght  he  looked  very  handsome,  to  be  so  dark  as  he  was; 
and  wondered  he  could  be  so  happy  after  she  had  broken  his 
heart  as  she  had  done.     She  did  not  think  he  was  so  wicked 
as  she  imagined ;  and  was  disposed  to  forgive  and  forget  his 
threats;  for  Hetty  was  just  then  in  the  state  of  mind  to  for- 
give everybody  and  to  love  everybody.     William  Gardner  was 
also  there,  in  a  handsome  suit  of  marine  blue,  with  small  gilt 
buttons  thickly  set  on  the  front  of  the  jacket,  a  white  vest, 
and  a  new  tarpaulin  hat,  adorned  with  a  wide  black  ribbon, 
jauntily  set  on  one  side,  showing  the  brown  curls  Hetty  had 
often  wound  lovij    ly  about  her  little  finger;   and  as  bold, 
dashing  a  looking  sailor-lad  as  a  lassie  of  taste,  like  Hetty, 
might  look  for  all  over  the  seas,  and  never  meet  the  like 
again. 

David  Cracklowood  gave  the  bride  away,  and  the  ceremony 
passed  oflF  without  aught  to  mar  its  felicity,  save  the  dissatisfied 


look,  of  Mr.  Fioldine,  who   tl.„ 

«men  to  hia  l„„g  p^.^!  „„";  ""«  foment  the  minister  said 
in  his  chamber         ^   '  ^  '""^  ""^  '"'"'  »<»  'tut  himself  „p 
But  the  ceremony  of  iha 
"  The  other  eouple  will  BleTr.""*  """  ""'  ^^'  ''™«'"<'o<i- 
tie  reverend  ma.  jookwSS  '!?'""'  ""^ """H"  said 
eye  spectacles  at  iavid,  wholadnotdr'   ''""""<'  »'"'- 
»«  two  weddings,  a  sec  et  whth  fh't  ,.'""«       """^ ''°"''' 
through  Mrs.  Gardner.  "'"^''^  ^""t  was  let  into 

To  the  surprise  of  the  happy  bride  an  I  J,  •., 
evident  astonishment  of  Pedro  ,„r*   ?.   *"*«"•«»»,  to  the 
ookers.„n  from  the  doors    nd'hall  Win'  ''n^""  "'  ""  «■" 
0  binsii      Hett,  by  the  hatd  lil't'Ih!''"'"";  '^'''"« 
ef  the  mmister,  just  vacated  by  the  hi      h'""^'  '°-^™»t 
«  orj-     The  little  cockney  gi2  cal  I  '"'"''"'  "^  »" 

the  floor,  as  if  'orridly  frightS  and  l"  T''  "'''  "'"'"  «» 
■«  a  yount  Wtten.  Willf'  '  °f  '"P'^  "yes"  as  timidly 
the,  were  married.  ZZJSI  ^''  »"  -<'■'".;  -d 
=lap  him  this  time  in  thlfaff  "  '"''  "'«'  Hetty  didn't 

:ootS:^rr:sr:;:^r°-.-.o„ng 

over  him  the  triumph  of  th.  ^'  '°  ^^^e''  *«  enjoy 

^"th.  the  course  oCart\7arit'  '' "^  ""''^^ 
'«ards  her.  She  saw  him  and  tried  .0  ITt  •"'  """^  '''■"' 
^^imo  up  to  her,  and  with  a  smill!  K    ,     T"^  '"'  "^o-     He 

."g  expression  in  his  eyes,  h™  'dTd  t  a'b       *""  ""  ""-- 

"I  ean  take  this  now,  Pedro  "!r^     '"'"'="'"  l»^«ent. 

"for  it  don't  mean  hanA^* Iw ''^  ""  "'"•  ' ''™ '-«"- 

^^Jo,soi,ora.    Pleas  takeit-sme'lUweetlPedohab  noting 

"^i  r :  ir^t^St!**'^''  ^-<  -<>  --. 

^0,  no,  ao  I   You  no  take  it-Lr  h  • 

ieepdat,SefioraHettieI  reiltl       "«''  ^'"  °°«^   ^on 

""^^^  it^yera  good  parfume  I" 


140 


NORVEL   HASTINGS;    OR, 


"  It  is  very  'andsome,  Pedro,"  answered  the  bride.  "  I  am 
so  glad  you  have  got  hover  your  anger  I" 

Pedro  .smiled  like  a  gleam  of  lightning  behind  a  cloud,  and 
stepped  back,  and  went  out  with  the  stealthy,  noiseless  step 
which  characterized  him. 

"A  r;.etty  bouquet,  Hetty,"  said  Norvel,  who  approached 
her.     «  You  and  brother  William  took  us  by  surprise  !    Well 
you  deserve  each  other  I    How  pale  you  look,  Hetty  I    You  are 
illl  How  wild  your  eyes!  What  is  the  matter,  Pipa  ?"  demanded 
Norvel  of  the  dwarf,  who,  keeping  constantly  near  him  as  if 
his  affection  lived  only  in  his  close  presence,  fixing  his  eyes  on 
Hetty,  suddenly  caught  the  bouquet  out  of  her  hand,  and  tear- 
mg  it  in  pieces,  exposed  in  the  centre  the  flower  of  the  JSoinbre 
de  Muerle,  a  West  Indian  plant,  whose  fragrance  long  inhaled 
IS  fatal.     Norvel  recognised  the  flower,  which  he  had  himself 
brought  from  Havanna  for  Mary,  on  account  of  its  remarkable 
beauty,  yet  aware  of  its  poisonous  qualities,  which  were  harm- 
less, except  when  the  flower  was  broken  off  and  inhaled  by 
contact.  ^ 

"Pedro!    Pedro  es  vilano,  seiior.    Pedro  wish  kill !"  cried 
Pipa,  with  vehemence. 

"  Did  Pedro  give  you  the  bouquet  ?"  asked  Norvel  of  Hetty 
who  was  supported  by  WiUiam-who  believed  his  brii    about 
to  be  snatched  from  him  by  a  fearful  death ;   while  Mary 
hastened  for  restoratives. 

"Yes,"  faintly  responded  the  poisoned  girl. 

"  Bring  camphor  !"  called  Pipa.  "  Camphor  save  from  dis 
poison  I 

Tne  camphor  was  applied  to  the  nostrils,  and  forced  into 
the  inouth~the  teeth  of  which  were  being  firmly  set,  as  if 
ppasmodically.  In  a  few  minutes,  she  revived  -  breathed 
more  freely ;  the  colour  came  back  to  her  cheeks,  and  soft- 
ness to  her  eyes.  In  a  short  time  longer,  she  was  quite  well, 
save  a  severe  nervous  agitation,  that  kept  her  shivering  like 


ide.     "  I  am 

a  cloud,  and 
oiseless  step 

)  approached 
prise !    Well 
•y !   You  are 
"  demanded 
ir  him  as  if 
I  his  eyos  on 
id,  and  tear- 
the  Somlre 
long  inhaled 
bad  himself 
remarkable 
were  harm- 
inhaled  by 

kill !"  cried 

el  of  Hetty, 
brie  about 
vhile  Mary 


ve  from  dis 

forced  into 
y  set,  as  if 
--  breathed 
s,  and  soft- 
quite  well, 
voring  like 


THE  PRlGATB  IN   THE   OmNO.  14^ 

an  aspen-leaf,     Norvol  I.o^  .       i    • 

Creole;  ,„, ,,  o„;,rLlrb:i::r'''^'^  -^^^ '- '-« 

mouth  of  the  Kennebec    twpn.         ,  ^'°  ''^^^^'^  *h« 

^•ouud  a  coaster  that  Sd^^^^^  ^^^-  ^^ 

at  Portland  :  from  whi.h     1        ?'         ^^^^  ^'"^  *^«  ^^^^  quay 

tection  of  his  „otUo.-   1  b?/     ^''^', '"''  """^-^^  *"  P''-" 

«age,  Di.k  Ha.,H  „Lo.  hi'  t^t  'ut  W,  ,  ^^  'f?  ''- 
him  up  to  tl.e  law,,  succeeded  iu  0^1,.'  K  ."""'''  «"'" 
-  the  schoouer  was  passing  n^l^'TT^^  "'  »'«'"' 
Wavily  ironed,  it  was  believed  he  sunk  tl'  .,"''  "'  ""^  *"^ 
'->;  -.a  it  was  p..„n„„„,ed  by  ai  on  b„  f  ^^  ^  '"  "'°  ''°'- 
luan  to  swim  or  Hn-t  „  '"'^  impossible  for  a 

ho  was.  *"''  "  ""'»"«'  """■"eled  and  fettered  as 

i-^^dji;:. 'I'ldtr™ "",  "r'-"  "■-  ■"-  --'-d 

Ho  informed     e     that  ho7.  ,"f  T'  "^^  '» '"-'  •■-  ^"0 
off  St.  Johns,  wl   ^^e  a ,  En  Y,        ',"  ''"'"^  '"  ^  P-'^'-^oat 

f"  «H»'"ing  ..„M  touch!  rtt  pi":  :;; :""  'T""«  "'"' 
'"■md  lmn.self  a  begmr    Th„  V        ?  '  ""■'ehousc.    He 

-fi  f.i«Hto  fofuscdT  su  r    ,    rtatT'f:  °'''7  "''""''■ 
'aincd;  which,  he  said  was  not  ,^!^      "       '""  '"S""^  »''- 


142 


NORVEL  HASTINas;   OR, 


against  him.     Beggared,  and  broken  in  spirit,  he  sought  for 
his  son  to  ask  relief^  but  learned  that,  after  running  through 
with  an  ostate  by  gaming,  he  had,  two  months  before,  fallen 
in  a  duel  in  France.     Without  means— with  a  branded  name 
even  among  the  English,  who  regarded  him  more  as  an  Ame- 
rican than  an  Englishman,  he  irresistibly  turned  his  thought- 
towards  the  land  he  had  proved  traitorous  to;  and  gbdly 
would  have  sought  it,  to  throw  himself  upon  his  daughter's 
protection  in  his  old  age,  if  he  had  dared.   But  while  the  war 
lasted,  the  land  where  alone  he  could  find  shelter,  and  open 
hearts   to  receive  him,  he  knew  was  locked  to  him.     Too 
proud  to  write  to  Norvel  or  his  child,  he  yielded  to  the 
dark  spirit  of  his  soul,  and  miserably  died  by  his  own  hand ! 
The  war  prevented  the  regular  transmission  of  intelligence,' 
and  it  was  two  years  before  Mary  learned  the  fate  of  either  her 
father  or  brother;  but  all  that  her  father  suffered  was  never 
revealed  to  her.     She  only  knew  that  he  died  broken-hearted 
at  the  disappointment  caused  by  the  loss  of  his  property  under 
circumstances  that  seemed  to  insure  its  safety. 

David  Cracklewood  became  manager  of  the  estate  and  of 

the  warehouse  business  after  the  war.     Norvel  distinguished 

himself  by  several  brilliant  captures  during  the  war,  but  was 

glad,  when  peace  was  declared,  to  return  to  the  society  of  his 

lovely  wife,  and  devote  his  time  to  overseeing  the  estate.     In 

the  mean  while,  Mary  had  upon  her  mind  one  cherished  wish, 

which  he  promised  ere  long  to  gratify;  and  that  was  to  go  to 

England,  to  visit  the  grave  of  her  father  and  brother,  and 

honour   them  with   suitalle  monuments  of  marble,  and  to 

endeavour  to  discover  the  parentage  of  her  husband,  whom 

she  secretly  believed  must  be  noble  born;  and  by  one  or  two 

articles  found  with  him  when  old  Skipper  Gardner  picked  him 

up  at  sea,  she  hoped  to  bo  able  to  traoe  his  linrnge  to  its  source. 

Should  we  learn  that  this  voyage  ever  was  taken  by  our 

hero  and  heroine,  we  pledge  ourselves  to  report  the  disooveries 


lie  sought  for 
ning  through 
before,  fallen 
randed  name 
e  as  an  Ame- 
his  thought" 
;  and  gladly 
is  daughter's 
'^hile  the  war 
er,  and  open 
)  him.     Too 
Ided  to   the 
1  own  hand ! 
intelligence, 
of  either  her 
i  was  never 
)ken-hearted 
)perty  under 

tate  and  of 
istinguished 
^ar^  but  was 
ciety  of  his 
estate.  In 
rished  wish, 
vas  to  go  to 
>rother,  and 
ble,  and  to 
)and,  whom 
one  or  two 
picked  him 
)  its  source, 
ken  by  our 
disooreries 


THE  PBIO^,^  i^   ^g^   ^^^^^ 

Which  transpired  touching  the  orida  of  t^  f 
he  permitted  to  have  access  to  Z  \  *^°™"'  ^'"»"W  wa 
B-  in  our  „pi„ie„  trT:  i^T ^^e '"' "'""""^^"'• 
father;  iu  the  soul,  not  in  the  serdT«  "  f""^"'  "»'  i-  his 
whether  Norvel  Hastings  turn  ouT  1  h  f""""  *«'  -""l 
or  a  peasant's  heir,  we  shall  thinkn  "vt"""     '"  "  ^"^"'^  ^'^ 

.  anwe  have  done  fron,  thf^Ct'oTh" ""'""''''" 
of  mmd  and  heart.  ^^^^age  of  his  own  qualities 


9^111  INO. 


A  GEEAT  BOOK  BY  A  GBEAT  AUTHOR  1 1 


ilgrims0f  Hds.tng|am. 

A  ROMANCE  0^  THE  MIDDLE  AGES, 

FROM  THJ   ACCOMPLISHED    PBX   OF 

AONBE     STRICKLAND. 


LARGE    12mo 


pp.    460.      PRICE     ONE     DOLI      R 


.,,.„!?!»  P«'»'-'8Hi!R8  invite  the  atlentioa  of  the  public  to  thii,  one  of  the 
STir  '?V,f  "*'"^  iM.rformanoe8  of  our  time.  Apart  from  its  superior  mer?t  thl 
work  itse  f  ,,  one  of  originalitj.    No  book  in  the  broad  range  of  mod wn  Action 

;;"«"  wUh Tt  '  From  W  •"  ^"^  T "';'  •t^''"'*"  r^^'^'^  "-^«'  ^"  fn  "Sg  :«  com" 
pare  with  it.    From  beginning  to  end  it  i.s  a  volume  of  fascination 

v..,.t  -?  .?®°,'F  <*'  "*»  *'»''■  author  may  almost  be  said  to  have  concentrated  and  m. 
SbwIthtlwn'frL^ih-''*""^*' "^J-  ^'\Vem.ivg  it,  text,  the  reader  i«?n3e": 
Swil^  t^  thl  tr?^^'°?  *^*  **^^  '"  ^'"^•i,'!^  lives  and  carried  back  by  some  weird 
M^ven  with  f^^r^%/'^^T^''  f  r'^''•  *^«  "P'"^  "'■  R^-nance  appeared  to  bei^te^ 
ThaDter  th«  r«„7.    -""^V  *"'*  *'*  of  mankind.    Having  once  passed  the  opening 

NOTICES    OP    THE     PEESS. 

DrobllwrlLtH';^*/"''"*^  *""'''•'  .^"".«f  *h«  profou„de.st  interest,  yet  not  one  im- 
feaSs  of  th«  .nvt"°  rr^^r""^"*.  '•^"*-  "^"'^  ^"1  ^o^ns'  fl«<i  spots  upon  the 
Sl^^ltcourii    ^^  ^^  "'*°  ""•  ""P""  ^•'"'«"«'«  '"  '^  ^^"•^  by  thia  autC"-! 

from  .fL"  ing  ^U.'^'f  &.'?'JU°[Lt,T»n,'3;^l*™d''„?'S'~'-  '" 

herself  more  credit  than  she  has  here^oithor  in  nfot  or  Seo.H  1  T  T-'^T  ^T 
narrative  or  life-like  dialogue.''-iV««.  For^fc  Ciy  r/m*,  '  '°  l"'=^"'-«-'''^« 

Of  cor^'^Lra^g^Sal-AeXKitrtL't^tt^a"^^        '^'ow^e'^*^.'^  "S^  T 

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